Nigel has been supporting Reda who arrived in the UK from Syria as part of Connection Support’s refugee resettlement service.
Reda wanted to become a barber but did not have the experience, so Nigel was tasked to help him find work experience to help develop his skills and knowledge. Nigel supported Reda to approach barbers in the local area that could provide work experience, and he is now training in a barber shop in Oxford.
“It has been a pleasure working with Reda, he is intelligent, hard working and has all the qualities he needs to succeed. It’s very rewarding to me to see how far Reda has come.” – Nigel
“Thanks to Nigel’s help, I did 6 months work experience at a local barbers, this was really good for learning English, observing and learning the trade and speaking to customers. I am now doing a trainee role in a barbers shop in Oxford 4 days a week, it’s very busy and I do 2-3 haircuts a day. I’m really happy to have this opportunity and I’m really enjoying it. I want to continue training and learning English so that I can become a professional barber, and in the next 4 to 5 years I would like to own my own barber shop.”
What advice would you give to someone else who was thinking about volunteering at Connection Support?
I would say give it time, be patient and you will see results. My connection with Reda was easy and straight forward and we have a very good relationship, but with other volunteering experiences I have found the relationship can take time to become established in the beginning. Be committed, and don’t be disheartened, hang in there and you will see the impact of your efforts.
A last word from Reda..
“Nigel is the best volunteer ever! He has been so positive and kind to me and provided support, I am grateful to him for helping me.”
