Narsina’s story
How to turn a love of art into a career? Narsina* is a pattern designer with ambitions to go to university.
I was a teacher back in my home country. However, I was forced to leave everything behind and flee to the UK.
Imagine going to a new country and not knowing anything about the language, the culture, or the processes for studying and working. It’s like a tree that’s been forcibly uprooted and planted in a new land in a new soil. Half of my roots were still back home, and the rest of me was trying to start a new life here. Everything was new and it hurt.
I needed help to figure out how to navigate the UK job market, and the qualifications I needed to pursue further education. I reached out to Breaking Barriers and I’ve been receiving employment support from Ellie, my employment adviser. She is so patient and never judges my choices. She has helped me with employment advice, writing a CV, applying to university, and preparing for interviews.
Ellie also helped me to successfully apply for a Breaking Barriers grant, which went towards my art and helped me to get closer to my dream of becoming an artist. The grant was life-changing. It helped me to get over the barriers and move forward and build a future.
Breaking Barriers believed in me and my dreams. I still can’t quite believe that in October I will be going to university to study a Masters in Digital Media and Design at Birkbeck University.
*Not her real name
