Posted on 17 March 2023
Thanks to Hyde Foundation, our customer Zara was able to reach her goal of providing for herself and her young daughter.
Zara is a single parent, working as an Executive Assistant to support herself and her young daughter who has autism.
For a long time, Zara wasn’t sure if she would be able to work due to being a single mother caring for a disabled child. However, she was determined to make her and her daughter’s lives better.
Initially, Zara went to the DWP office and local authority looking for advice, but they were unable to offer any support.
Then, not knowing who else might be able to help and getting desperate, Zara phoned Hyde.
Zara’s advisor, Hyde’s Early Intervention Officer, Raffaella Lenza, stepped in. She could tell that Zara was at breaking point and immediately did everything she could to support Zara in finding a job.
For example, Zara was worried that she had no suitable clothes to wear for interviews. Raffaella was able to arrange clothes from the charity Smart Works.
Then, as soon as Zara was successful in getting her Executive Assistant job, Raffaella supported Zara with a grant for travel expenses to work for the first month, and childcare for the first half term.
Zara now wants to continue to progress professionally and show her daughter what it’s possible to achieve.
Zara said: “Hyde employs the right people – they make me feel listened to. Raffaella made such a difference to me - she was understanding and empathetic, offering both emotional and practical support and guidance.”
Now that Zara is secure in her role, her aspirations continue to grow and she hopes she can progress and provide and even better life for herself and her daughter. She believes she is showing her daughter that, despite challenges, she can achieve and be independent through hard work; something which she hopes her daughter will hold onto as she grows older.
If you're struggling with money, please get in touch. Our Helping Hand pages have lots of advice and support. We can also refer you to expert help to navigate Universal Credit, and give other financial support.