TTNG in Boston has helped move over 250 people from unemployment and into employment, training or voluntary work with its JobMAETS (Job Multi Agency Employment Teams) programme since it launched in August 2008.

Sian Burley, 46, from Northwich, a nurse, was forced to leave work to care for her husband. Following his death from cancer, Sian, a leukaemia specialist nurse, didn’t feel able to return to work. With help from TNG, she is now back at work and finding comfort in helping others.

Sian loved her job as a leukaemia specialist nurse at a local hospital, but when her husband was diagnosed with cancer, life was turned upside down. In 2007, he had become so ill he required round-the-clock care.

Sian gave up work to nurse her husband at home. Unfortunately, in October 2008, he lost his battle with cancer and passed away. Sian was devastated, and a combination of stress and bereavement left her unable to return to the job she had previously loved.

As time went on, Sian began to miss the routine of work, and she missed her workmates. However, her husband’s illness had affected Sian deeply, and she felt unable to return to work nursing cancer patients.

Sian contacted TNG, a national welfare to work training provider, in Northwich, for guidance, where she was assigned a personal adviser, Karen Egerton. At TNG, she received bereavement counselling, enabling her to consider a return to nursing.

With renewed confidence, Sian had discussions with her previous employer and Karen about other roles she could do within the hospital. Sian has now returned to the hospital, where she is matron in the information section, helping people to access services within the hospital.

Sian said, "When my husband died, I was distraught. I knew that I wasn’t ready to return to my previous job as a cancer specialist nurse, but I also knew that returning to work, and being around people again would be good for me. My TNG adviser helped me to realise that just because I didn’t feel ready to return to my old job didn’t mean I had to give up on nursing. Thanks to advice from TNG, I am back working and helping others."

Karen Egerton, TNG Personal Adviser said "Nursing her husband before bereavement had left Sian suffering from emotional stress. When she first enrolled on the Pathways to Work programme, TNG provided her with bereavement counselling. When she felt confident to return to work, we helped her to liaise with her former employer to enable Sian to return to a career she loved, but in a different area."