Warwick's story: IT training makes Warwick confident

Warwick Owen, aged 28, from Gillingham, went to Winfield IT training when it opened in 2006.

He now has qualifications in IT and has left Winfield.  He is more confident than he was before and uses his IT skills at work.

He says: "Winfield gave me the opportunity I needed when I needed it the most.

I started studying for a qualification in science a few years ago, but had to give this up in 2001 when I became ill.

I got a job in a factory, but it wasn't what I really wanted to do. In 2005, I was so unwell I had to leave my job and go in to hospital. I started doing some other courses but none of them were going to help me find a job.

I wanted to learn something that would help me find a job and make me independent. I found out about Winfield IT training in 2006. It was on a leaflet.

I was not very confident then. But as I got better I wanted to do something. I wanted to achieve something.  I got on to a course at Winfield.  This gave me the opportunity to get some qualifications and back to work.

I phoned Sandra Hall who manages the centre. She seemed nice and I went to meet her. We had a chat about things.  I said I wanted to do some IT classes and we arranged some dates. This really helped me.

The tutors are used to training people with mental health needs so I felt they really understood me. To begin with I needed a lot of time off because I was a bit ill. But, this was ok. I always telephoned if I couldn't go in to arrange another time.

Knowing that someone was expecting to see me helped me to keep going with the course. It was good to go somewhere where other people were learning too. It is a place that is professional where everyone wants to learn. That feels good!

Now I am working for the Buddy scheme.  It's a project with the NHS where service users like me mentor students.  This means we can tell them about our experiences and help them to understand what it's like. I have been using my IT skills at work.

Before I went to Winfield I didn't have the confidence to do what I do now.  I mean that's what Winfield has given me.  It gave me the routine of doing something twice a week.

It built my confidence up and meant that I could gain IT skills. And now I can be at work now and be perfectly happy. I know going to classes at Winfield helped me on my journey of getting better.

As well as gaining vocational qualifications at Winfield I made some very good friends. There is one friend I still keep in touch with, even though we have both finished our courses at Winfield.

I often bump into people I know from Winfield in the high street. We have a chat or go for coffee. This is not something I would have done before, when I was not well.