Shahid’s story
Age 21
Originally from Pakistan, Shahid (aged 12) and his family moved to the UK in 2012 in pursuit of better opportunities for education and employment. However, moving to a new country, learning a new language, and adjusting to the culture, all whilst juggling school, presented difficulties that were hard to overcome.
Shahid’s ambitious spirit and dedication to improving his life resulted in him learning English within a short period of time, which helped him find his place in Birmingham.
Fast forward to the year 2020, Shahid flew back to Pakistan to visit family and tell everyone about his new exciting life in the UK. However, the two-week stress free vacation turned stormy due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Shahid’s visit to Pakistan lasted 7 months, putting a devastating pause on his educational and professional development. Once touching UK soil, Shahid was on the lookout for jobs and opportunities, desperate to pick up where he left off. He needed support and guidance – and in that search, he found Sport 4 Life UK.
Shahid met Hannah through a Job Centre fair in (location). During this initial meeting, Hannah provided insights into the support and guidance we offer at Sport 4 Life and how we can help Shahid during this difficult period. This was music to his ears! Shahid decided to join us in October, 2021.
“Hannah seemed very helpful and she was telling me about different job opportunities, work support and courses. I thought everything sounded great! I’ve always wanted to secure a SIA badge, and Hannah told me she could help”
During his Sport 4 Life journey, Shahid undertook his SIA badge course and was committed to improving his English and Maths skills to pass the certification. This presented challenges as Shaid continued to face difficulty in attaining these skills. However, Hannah stuck by his side and scouted for a Maths & English centre for additional support.
“SPORT 4 LIFE HELPED ME WITH WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. MY MENTOR WAS WORKING ALONGSIDE ME TIRELESSLY AND PROVIDED ME WITH CONSTANT ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT WHEN APPLY FOR JOBS”
“Sport 4 Life helped me with everything – CV checks from my mentor, she advised me on how to structure my CV. She was also looking for security courses for me and jobs.”
Today, Shahid’s positive mindset is still present as he continues his search. Thanks to his mentor Hannah, Shahid now knows how to tailor his CV to a specific job, prepare for an interview, and skills required for the awaiting job world. His dreams of making his parents proud, finding a good job and eventually setting up his own business are getting closer, one step at a time.