‘They gave me resilience training, provided me with a sympathetic ear via their helpline and they gave me career coaching and support to get me through this difficult period. I would tell any student who’s feeling under pressure, don’t focus on keeping up a front. Instead, reach out to CABA.’

Ted

‘It wasn’t just about the financial help – it was that I had someone who believed in me and could support me in a number of different ways. It boosted my confidence and took away a lot of the stress and worry about starting up a business on my own.’

James

‘I got in touch to find out if they could help me with some employment advice and career guidance. When I first spoke to CABA, I could tell straight away that I was speaking to someone skilled and experienced. I felt understood very quickly and I was so relieved that I’d put my hand up to ask for help.’

Roger

‘I followed up courses with some career coaching which helped rebuild my CV and changed how I present myself and my skills. I’ve always enjoyed work, but I do feel my bipolar disorder has interrupted my career regularly and pulling it back on track is a lot of work, so having a coach helped with this.’

Sarah

‘I was having difficulties with a colleague. I was finding her behaviour very challenging. While I was on the resilience course, I found out that CABA offered coaching. It was a real eye-opener. My coach helped me see that this colleague’s behaviour was being facilitated in part by the management, which meant that it was a management issue, not a personal one. This allowed me to approach the problem in a much more pragmatic way.’

Deborah

‘My husband was suddenly made redundant. I knew that CABA also supports spouses, so I encouraged him to take up some career coaching as well. We both felt so inspired and confident that we came together to devise a new business plan and we’re now in the process of evolving my practice into a consultancy we will run together.’

Theresa

‘CABA gave me 3 sessions with a career coach to help improve my CV. They also offered me a LinkedIn course. The sessions were useful on a practical level and on a personal level. I had a connection with a friendly face who understood my industry and wanted to support me. I needed validation for the direction I was going in. Working with CABA really rebuilt my confidence. Just over 3 months after leaving my previous job, I had 2 good job offers.’

Edward

‘Recruiters said that my age and the career break would work against me. CABA put me in touch with 2 different coaches. They helped me re-frame my job search, define what I can offer and improve my self-confidence. I ended up with 2 job offers on the table.’

Tim

‘The CABA course challenged me to think deeply about my strengths and the things I enjoy. I met up with the course leader for some free one-to-one coaching sessions. This really helped me in interviews, because I was able to be really clear about what motivates me and what I can bring to a team. Within 6 weeks, I was in a new role as Finance Director in the charity sector.’

John

‘I wasn’t sure about how I was presenting myself on paper and if there was more I could do to stand out. I approached CABA and asked if I could have some support revising my CV. I was given some career coaching and it was a fantastic experience. It’s not just the advice the career coach gave me. It was taking time and space to think about my position that was really valuable.’

Rachel

‘The Authentic Happiness course, in particular, was great for confirming the choices I was making. I also had 3 sessions of coaching with a career advisor. We spent time reviewing my strengths and determining how to build on my successes, which was motivating and gave me a real confidence boost. ’

Laura