Alisha

Case Studies ❯ Alisha

Case Study - Alisha

Charity Manager

Alisha grew up in a loving, stable home, so finding herself homeless was a huge shock to the system. She made the tough but necessary decision to ‘fly the nest’ at 16 due to a sibling going through a challenging time, making it impossible for her to remain in the family home. Homelessness certainly wasn’t on the agenda when Alisha decided to leave, but with £3,000 in savings and a full-time job in IKEA whilst studying at college, she was more than set for the future. Then she lost her job. 

With no available support from family, Alisha lived off her savings and the kindness of friends, but both were to run out. With no means to travel to college every day and finding herself sleeping in a car, Alisha turned to the council for help. After a three-day battle proving she needed support, she was offered a room in an unsafe hostel where she was told by a member of staff, she’d "need to get violent to survive". Alisha said: “It felt hopeless. I felt sure that someone would be able to help me, but no one seemed willing. It still makes me angry that people are treated this way”. 

Eventually, she was placed in temporary accommodation but when the ceiling collapsed, she was left with no kitchen. Alicia threw herself into volunteering and getting involved in community projects to help others in dire situations and give her some time away from another unsafe home. A chance meeting with a lady at a housing association event informed her about Radical Recruit. Alisha said: “Radical didn’t just insist I apply for every job going, they took time to learn my skills, my background and what I’d enjoy. And they ensure an actual living wage and an accessible location. They also gave me financial support for getting to and from interviews. It’s things like that that Radical understand can be a barrier for moving on, but they listen to you and provide help at every stage.” 

The team at Radical worked closely with Alisha to help her prepare a CV, learn interview techniques, and build her self-esteem. She found herself applying for jobs that she would’ve previously shied away from.

Alicia says of her job-hunting experience: “I felt confident. Even if I didn’t get the first job I applied to, I wanted to look at it as a learning experience. Radical believed in me, so I believed in myself."

Alisha soon received an offer of employment to work in a medical practice on reception, but our founder Em saw so much potential in Alisha, she bit the bullet and offered her a role in our charity of choice, Radical Recruit. Three years on, Alisha has been promoted from coordinator to manager and now plays a lead role in managing our candidate, employer, and volunteer services. She has been vital to ensuring the work of the charity, having helped to place 500 Radicals, just like her, into meaningful and sustained employment.