Shez

Shez came to Stride Yorkshire in August 2023, struggling with a lack of confidence due to issues with social life, employment, and independent daily living. Shez had been in a bad relationship that led to poor mental health; this, combined with his Autism and ADHD, created barriers in both his personal and professional life.

Shez felt that he had never been supported in a way that worked for him, and his mum called Logan feeling deflated after trying her best to support her son for many years.

Within a month, Stride helped Shez to start a kitchen job, where he began rebuilding his confidence with people again. Shez received job coaching support and coping strategies support, both contributing to him feeling more positive and motivated. The coping strategies support was particularly helpful — it not only helped him identify and overcome barriers in the workplace but also enabled him to navigate his living situation more effectively. Now, Shez is better able to build relationships with support staff and communicate his needs clearly.

Kitchen work was never Shez’s long-term goal, but it was a start. After some time in this job, Logan decided to give Shez the opportunity to work for Stride Yorkshire as a Digital Content Creator. Shez was over the moon with this opportunity. He still works for Stride while continuing to receive the support he needs every day he works.

Shez had the following to say:

“As a long-time client and now a new member of staff, I can confidently say that the team at Stride are amazing people, and I’m happy to be a new member of the team myself. They have helped me so much in the past, and I can’t believe I’ve been lucky enough to be brought on to further help people just like me.”

Thank you, Shez — it’s a pleasure to have you on the team and to be part of your journey!