"As an adult who was sober and didn't know what I wanted from life, I felt lost."

Emily became part of Paws & Pause in January 2023 by joining our Trainee programme and advanced to a part-time role with us at both Brixton and Peckham in early 2024. The case study about Emily below is from last year's impact report, but as of November 2024, Emily has been working full-time with us. We are proud to announce that Emily is now learning the essentials of management and is hopefully moving towards a management and leadership apprenticeship latet this year with Paws & Pause. We're so proud of you, Emily!

What was life like when you first joined P&P?

“So before I join P&P, I'd just moved to London into supported accommodation. I was around 18 months sober when I started here and had been living in London for about six months finding it all quite overwhelming. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go, I kind of felt like I'd been thrown in the deep end of life, not knowing what on earth

I was meant to do as an adult who was sober and didn't know what she wanted from her life. Basically I felt lost."

Why did you apply to the programme?

"So, I joined P&P because I always knew I wanted to explore working with dogs. Dogs have always made me very, very happy; I've had, like, an affinity with animals ever since I was a child, and I wanted to explore that and explore doing something that I actually enjoyed as an option for work. The Trainee programme helps support people in recovery from addiction as well as from mental health problems, of which I have both. So the fact that I could be accepted as a recovering alcoholic and not have to hide that, not have to hide that shame or hide who I really am, was incredible.

What have you learnt as a Trainee? Not only have I learned so much about dogs (it's ridiculous how much I now know about dogs!), but I've also learned so much about myself and my own resilience and patience. It's really helped build my confidence, not only talking to other people but also knowing that I am actually capable and I can use my initiative and do the right thing. The more responsibility I was given, the more it just nurtured my ever-growing self-worth. I started to notice on my own what my limits were and how to manage looking after myself properly, understanding things that were overwhelming to me and what helped me stay well, like knowing when I needed breaks and eating proper meals to sustain my energy and focus. Something that has been huge for me is being able to express ideas and have a voice. Speaking up has been difficult in the past, and being able to come up with ideas and seeing them be actioned has filled me with pride and confidence!

What has been your proudest moment? Taking part in the Paws & Pause dog marquee at the Lambeth County Show was a very overwhelming experience in terms of crowds and presence of alcohol in a public space, but i was insanely proud of myself for completing the shift and challenging myself in a new environment (with the support of the team!) and speaking to so many members of the public!

What does life look like now?

My life is different now because of P&P, now I work here which I am very, very proud of. I now do paid hours which makes me very, very happy and it makes me very, VERY proud of myself!

I always feel a sense of joy when I come into work. I never wake up with dreading coming in. I always wake up really, really excited , ready to go because I can't wait to see what dogs are in! I love learning how to keep the dogs enriched and all the things they need to be fulfilled each day!

My life is also different now because I will be moving out of my supported accommodation very soon, I'll be living independently for the first time as a sober adult. I feel like my journey with P&P having paid work and now moving out of Amy's Place just all feels like it's come at the right time, and everything is starting to align. I'll be in my own little flat, with a regular little job, and I just feel there is so much joy in that. This year i want to suceed at living independtly and see how much I can progress and enjoy the stabilty of it. The future still scares me but I know how I far i've already come and i'm so happy with that!"

Assist more individuals on their recovery journey, like Emily, by sharing information about our work or making a donation to our CIC here!