Lisa became a self employed Aromatherapist

Lisa is a single parent with two children. She told the Lead Scotland Learning Co-ordinator that she would like to get away from needing benefit support, but she had no qualifications. During discussions and advice meetings she decided that she would like to have a job that would enable her to be available when the children came home from school and allow her to be at home in the holidays. The solution was for her to become self-employed so she could be as flexible as she needed.

After looking at various options Lisa decided to train to become an aromatherapist. Her impairment meant that she was not always able to attend college regularly. She also needed a flexible course which didn’t cause stress in relation to getting assignments in by specific dates.

Lead Scotland found a Distance Learning course that provided all the underpinning knowledge. This meant that Lisa could study whilst the children were at school but be at home at the end of their day. The practical elements could be accessed at the local college, and Lead Scotland also provided volunteer support from a trained aromatherapist to ensure that Lisa understood her work.

When she eventually realised part of her dream by gaining a certificate to prove her achievement she was ‘over the moon’. For the first time in her life she had achieved something that she really wanted and had completed a course for the first time. She is now much in demand by family and friends, so certainly has no lack of willing volunteers to enjoy her new skills. She hopes to complete her course next year and then she feels she will be an independent woman!