Contextualising Our Work - Jamie’s Story

Jamie, 31, initially came to Ucan's attention through East Ayrshire's Employability Service. It was determined that the level of support required for Jamie to complete employability training was too high. Subsequently, his social worker referred him to Ucan, and his application was successful.

With a diagnosis of Autism, Jamie presented specific traits that impacted various aspects of his life both in the community and at home. These traits included speaking in an American accent, a limited attention span, discomfort in group settings, a limited palette, and an unwillingness to touch certain foods. Jamie struggled particularly at mealtimes and found it challenging to sit with his family to eat. Jamie was also averse to personal space invasion and experienced challenges with his communication and independent living skills. It should be noted that these were not necessarily issues that concerned Jamie.

Considering these challenges, Jamie's referral to Ucan in 2012 initially focused on supporting his social development, promoting his health and well-being, and enhancing his independent living skills while gradually introducing work-related concepts.

Over several years at Ucan, Jamie made remarkable progress through consistent encouragement, time, and patience in assisting him with coping mechanisms that helped him manage his challenging behaviours. Jamie harnessed what turned out to be a real passion for cooking, and through working alongside others in group settings with staff and Trainees, Jamie’s communication skills drastically improved, and he formed good relationships with others. Jamie’s journey was not a fast one, but his patience, drive, and determination, combined with structured support from Ucan’s staff, allowed him to hone in on his talent in the kitchen.

In 2017, Jamie embarked on a short work experience at the Railway Heritage Café, a fantastic experience that significantly boosted his confidence. This success led Jamie to further work experience within Ucan's kitchen. Seeking to challenge himself further, Jamie, with the support of Ucan and the East Ayrshire Employability team, went on to pursue a work experience opportunity at the Park Hotel's kitchen in early 2019. This experience laid the foundation for his application to a Hospitality course at Ayrshire College.

Jamie’s application to the college course was unsuccessful and he was offered a spot on an alternative course within the Supported Learning Department. In consultation with Ucan and his parents, Jamie decided against this alternative and returned to Ucan for further work experience. Jamie subsequently acquired four SQA Hospitality Qualifications in-house, along with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Today, Jamie is employed by Ucan as a part-time kitchen assistant for 12 hours a week, marking a remarkable journey of transformation and empowerment.

In September 2022, Jamie’s father sadly passed away following a battle with cancer, so Jamie stepped up.

Now Jamie takes on the role of organising the evening meal for the house; he chooses the Hello Fresh menus, sorts them by use-by dates in the fridge, and prepares and cooks them with little or no guidance from his family. He also understands the importance of good kitchen hygiene and has learned to look at the colour and smell of food, as it can be off even if it’s not past its sell-by date! Jamie knows his stuff and doesn’t hesitate to tell everyone if there’s ‘A HEALTHCODE VIOLATION!!!’.

Jamie’s Mum told us, ‘I don’t know what I would have done if Jamie hadn’t started to cook meals for our family. Any thought of managing and shopping for meals went, along with my appetite, went when his father died. My evening meal is prepared every night between 5-6 pm. The kitchen is like a bomb site, but that is my job!’ (Jan, Jamie’s Mum) 

Jamie is just one example of Ucan's success with individuals. His story underscores the significance of personalised support, perseverance, and recognition of individuals’ strengths as someone who initially faced barriers to the employment market. Through collaborative efforts, Jamie overcame obstacles and found meaningful employment and fulfilment as a valued member of Ucan's team. Oh, and he is AWESOME!