Press Release

PAISLEY WOMAN OVERCOMES ALL TO LAUNCH HER OWN BUSINESS

16 August 2007

When Paisley childcare worker Fiona Campbell launches her own business next week it will mark a major achievement for her. For the 36-year-old has broken through the barriers of dyslexia, depression and diabetes to reach her dream of being her own boss.
With the help of advisers at Working Links, she will be opening Crazy Capers - an out of school care service for children in the Glenburn area of Paisley aged between four and 14 years. And to celebrate the launch she has invited local people to go along to an open day on Monday where they can meet the staff and find out more about Crazy Capers at St Peter’s Primary School in Glenburn, where her new business is based. Working Links will be there to help her celebrate her success.

Crazy Capers out of school care service will open for business on 21 August the first day of our local school term. The service is registered to provide out of school care for up to 20 children during term time and up to 40 during school holidays.
Fiona actually follows in the footpath of an elite list of major players in the business world that suffer with dyslexia – often a disability hidden from the rest of the world. Sir Richard Branson and Sir Alan Sugar also overcame the condition to rise to the top of their professions.

But when Fiona first approached Working Links armed with ideas to open her own business, she wasn’t sure if it was just a pipedream. She was unsure whether dyslexia and her other health problems would prevent her from achieving her goals. Consultants at the Paisley office provided all the encouragement she needed to set things in progress.
As a dyslexic, she had difficulty reading printed material and putting her thoughts onto paper, which hampered her ambitions to run a business. One of the solutions was to have computer screens with a yellow background as well as written materials printed on yellow paper. Sounds simple but it can make a dramatic difference.

Working Links gave her counselling and mentoring support and advised on what she needed to do regarding health and safety so that she could register her service at St Peter’s Primary School.

She was advised about interviewing and hiring staff - indeed 25% of the work force within Crazy Capers has come through Working Links. First aid and child protection training was organised for all staff and volunteers before the service could open. Through Working Links she also completed a course in First Aid and trained with Heart Start and is now an instructor in emergency life support.

Assistance was also given to put her in touch with other agencies and business support groups including Jobcentre Plus, Childcare Buddies, Scottish Enterprise and Healthy Working Lives. Advice regarding support for childcare and business support was provided by Childcare Buddies, who will be going along to Crazy Capers’ Open Day on Monday.
Working Links specialises in helping people return to the workplace by providing advice and support needed to break through the barriers that prevent them from finding employment. Since it was launched in 2000, Working Links has helped more than 15,000 people in Scotland back into work.

It does this by offering practical solutions and advice. Support comes in a variety of ways ranging from help with job searches, CVs and applying for work to training and starting businesses. 
 

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