Kingston GRoW App Ambassador Zineb Builds Her Confidence

Zineb has been part of the GRoW Community since last year and recently became a GRoW App Ambassador. As a mother of four, Zineb was looking for support to start her journey to work in the UK and found a passion for working with children.

Zineb said “I first heard about GRoW last year when I was at my local Children’s Centre and I was given a leaflet that told me all about how GRoW supports mums to get ready for work. At that time, I was thinking about getting back to work but didn’t know where to start. I have always loved working with children, but I’ve not worked in the UK before and I wasn’t sure how to begin.

In the past, I did an NVQ Level 2 in childcare and worked in a nursery for work experience in 2017 and 2018. I’ve always enjoyed being around children, and I often help my friends by looking after theirs. Being a mother myself, I feel happy in that environment, so I knew I wanted my career to be in childcare. But I didn’t know how to move forward.

Joining GRoW has been really helpful. The programme has given me confidence, which I had lost after being at home with my children and not being out in the world. Through GRoW, I have learned how to update my CV and prepare for job applications. I have also attended online sessions where I could look at jobs in my area. I have also completed courses in hospitality and catering to build my skills. Now, I am waiting to start a ‘Preparing to Work in Schools’ course, which will help me take the next step towards my goal.

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to become a GRoW App Ambassador. I volunteered for this role because I wanted to help other women like me who are trying to get back into work. I had never done anything like this before, but I found it interesting and useful. Even though I am not very active on social media generally, I enjoy using the GRoW app. I find it such a useful resource from a user’s point of view. I check it every day for job updates, skills workshops, and positive messages from the GRoW team which I really like and find motivating.

As an ambassador, I post job opportunities, community events, and activities for women and children. I also keep an eye on what’s happening in other areas, like Croydon and Hillingdon, even though I am based in Kingston. It helps me see what support or activities are happening in different places in London and what I can make use of. When I post something, I get good responses from other women in my area who find the information useful, and I had really good engagement at Christmas with lots of different activities I was posting.

Right now, I am focusing on building my skills so I am ready when the right opportunity comes. I have started going on school trips with my children’s school, which I never did before. It has been a great experience and has given me even more confidence.

I have always been good at languages—I speak French, Moroccan Arabic, and some Spanish. In the past, I have helped friends by translating, and I have a degree in Business Management. But now, I know that working with children is what makes me happy. GRoW has helped me take the right steps toward this goal, and I am excited about what’s ahead.