James from Govan learns to manage his temper and build his skills with help and support from Fair Start Scotland.
James, 34 was exposed to violence from a very young age which left him terrified all through his adolescences, as a result he was a victim of bullying from the age of four to seven. When he was eight years old, he was taken away from his mum and moved to the Borders to live with his father. Shortly after this move his mum sadly passed away. James held a lot of anger and resentment and was prone to violent and angry outbursts that would often get him in trouble.
Why James joined Fair Start Scotland
James wanted to belong so at age of 16 he decided to join the Army. The time he spent there taught him a range of skills including how to work in a high-pressured environment and be part of a team. He didn’t have a great start in the Army, he had a difficult time which led him to getting into trouble and subsequently had to leave.
Once out of the Army, James again felt lost and angry and found it hard to sustain any relationships and employment. He moved around seeking stability but instead he made a series of bad choices. James became addicted to drugs to self-medicate his past and his problems, this is when he decided to make a change and join Fair Start Scotland.
How Fair Start Scotland helped
By the time he met Momentum he admitted that he was at rock bottom and could not see any future. James was introduced to Laura, Job Coach at Momentum, who took the time to get to know James - he eventually began to open up about his past.
Over the course of four months James has been on a journey of self-discovery with Momentum and Fair Start Scotland. Momentum have been working in partnership with SACRO to look at some options for James.
We are delighted to say that James has been accepted on to a one year long rehabilitation programme with SACRO where he will be undergoing counselling, anger management and learn some new skills.
James said “If it wasn’t for Momentum and Fair Start Scotland, I would not have this life changing opportunity. They put me in touch with SACRO and have been with me throughout my journey while I was at rock bottom and they have helped me back up. If it wasn’t for Momentum and especially my Job Coach Laura I would not be here today. I would encourage anyone experiencing difficulties to get in touch with Momentum for support”
We will be following James’ progress and updating you regularly on his time with SACRO and beyond.