The Brain Charity

A project run by The Brain Charity has supported nearly 200 people in building their confidence and getting back into the job market.  

Thanks to £59,608 provided through a grant from The Life Rooms, we were able to focus on building confidence and self-esteem to achieve employability and overall wellbeing outcomes through free sessions, reaching people who otherwise would not have had access to support of this nature.  

There were 199 people who took part in the free sessions through more than 400 confidence coaching sessions. The sessions included a series of one-to-one sessions and group sessions for people with neurological conditions and parents and carers.  

Of the 199 who attended: 

• 123 received confidence coaching in a group setting 
• 76 had individual coaching sessions 
• 101 of which were parents or carers  

Is mental health a neurological condition? 

People with neurological conditions often experience low confidence and mental health challenges linked to their condition. Limitations caused by a health condition can result in a loss of confidence and subsequently result in anxiety, depression, or other mental health difficulties. These mental health illnesses are not considered neurological conditions.  

For some, a neurological condition can ultimately result in unemployment, whether they’re physically unable to work, need time understanding and managing their condition or are unfairly dismissed by their employer. 

To help those experiencing a loss of confidence as a result of a neurological condition, and to support people looking to get back into the job market, The Brain Charity launched The Value of You in June 2022.  

During group sessions attendees had the opportunity to meet other people living with neurological conditions and form friendships. They told us meeting others who understand and empathise with their situations and health conditions has helped improve their social isolation and provided encouragement.  

One participant said: “The workshops have been brilliant and so have the hosts. It’s been a relaxed welcoming atmosphere. The weeks have been structured well and the worksheets/presentations have improved my knowledge of confidence and self-development.” 

One-to-one sessions provided support on an individual basis through tailored sessions dependent on the individual’s needs due to their neurological condition. These sessions were particularly successful for people who had never taken part in therapy, but following the one-to-one counselling felt more confident talking openly to a professional.  

Sessions included mindfulness and helped attendees cultivate self-compassion through emotional and mental self-care. Confidence coaches also discussed identifying self-limiting beliefs and communicating boundaries with participants.  

One attendee said: “I’ve never found anything like this before. It has been very important and helpful to me, and helped me understand myself and how I can achieve my goals. It really boosted my self-esteem.” 

Since the sessions, 28 people have become employed, 17 have entered education or training, 16 have gone on to become volunteers and 47 are actively job hunting. In total 108 clients have progressed towards employment.  

One attendee said: “I have more awareness of my strengths, I’m proud of being honest and saying my thoughts and feelings out loud.”  

Other attendees told us they experienced reduced anxiety, understanding of coping mechanisms and awareness of their strengths.  

The Brain Charity worked with a variety of partners to help promote the sessions, including Job Centre.  

Jenny, a Disability Employment Advisor at Job Centre, said: “The Value of You has been very beneficial for our customers that attended. It has supported a lot of people to move forward which can be very difficult due to not realising their potential and value. The project has enabled participants to become more self-aware and knowing of their own strengths.”