Thomas has always worked, trained and learned – but often his work has been low-waged and uncertain. Last year he started claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance. It was a difficult time for him and his family, but through the Job Centre he was given the opportunity to get a grant to train as a driving instructor – something he had always wanted to do but couldn’t afford.
“Becoming a driving instructor has been my goal for a long time, but the cost meant it always felt out of reach. With the support of my work coach, I was finally able to start training.”
Thomas is balancing his driving instructor studies with part-time work, family life, and the responsibilities of helping to care for his disabled step-daughter. But further financial setbacks- including a house fire, without insurance- have made the journey even tougher.
Thomas had already passed Part 1 (Theory) and Part 2 (Practical) of the driving instructor qualification – both on his first attempt. But the costs of preparing for Part 3, the final stage, and of signing up with a driving school franchise, meant he couldn’t move forward and achieve his ambition, and he couldn’t get a loan because of his debts.
That’s when he turned to Trust Leeds for support. Having reviewed in detail his household income and expenditure, his debt arrangements, and his business forecasts, Trust Leeds agreed to trust him with a £1,000 loan – he is on the road!
There is a national demand for more driving instructors, and Thomas is determined to meet it. The flexibility of managing his own diary means he can continue with the on-the-job training, and can spend time with his family.
Thomas has just celebrated his first student passing their driving test.
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