Sameena Ahmed is a Job Coach for United Response, delivering bespoke training and support programmes across Bradford and helping people to achieve their life goals and aspirations.  

A huge advocate for the GOALS (Gaining Opportunities And Life Skills) training methodology, Sameena completed a Train-the-trainer qualification to begin delivering her own one-to-one support sessions in her local area. 

This has developed into a new programme called Keys to Success, a 5-week group training plan which helps people to develop personal skills and habits to equip them for success in all areas of their life. 

Following the first course, delivered at Bradford City Hall to 8 learners, Sameena has seen some incredible results and received some truly amazing feedback which has helped Keys to Success go from strength-to-strength with more sessions planned.  

Sameena told us: 

Delivering a programme like this with a group rather than just at an individual level gives so much more room for sharing and peer support to aid personal development. This is a course that helps people improve all areas of their life, and so input from others only helps to strengthen the lessons learned.  

What happens at Keys to Success? 

The sessions involve deep discussions and personal reflections; people are able to explore themselves in a way that they may never have done before. With the support of the group, they can more clearly see their strengths and potential, and discover ways to move past real and perceived challenges.  

This latest session has been amazing. 4 people who were strangers to one-another beforehand, fully embraced the concept and were eager to open up, be honest and vulnerable and help each other in the process.  

Lived experience is a vital element of course delivery, so I chose Kevin Proctor, who was a previous participant in 2025, to co-train with me this time and he did absolutely amazing! After attending this course in 2025 he went onto gain paid employment with the NHS, delivering Oliver Magowan training to all NHS staff. Kevin was so happy to be asked to co-train alongside me and said he ‘would love to give back and support others in the Keys to Success group’. 

As well as encouraging personal reflection, Keys to Success also delivers key practical tools to improve daily life. Things like how to communicate effectively and manage day-to-day tasks give people that confidence to become more independent.  

The two key pillars of the course are ‘Raising Self-Esteem’ and ‘Taking Responsibility.’ Both are crucial as you can’t have one without the other. And we use these pillars to craft new long and short-term goals, and what steps are needed to make them a reality.  

We also talk about people we admire, asking what it is that makes them admirable, what are their values? And we think about Our own successes, helping us to celebrate victories big and small. 

The results 

Throughout the course we’ve heard stories of attendees taking control of their living spaces, cleaning on a more regular basis, going to the gym for the first time, and enjoying more positive interactions with friends and family due to improved communication skills.  

Aiden attended the course and told us: 

“The programme has helped me to be more confident in myself and to approach things in an enthusiastic, positive way. It also helped me to look back at my strengths and weaknesses and use that to better achieve the goals that I have set out for the future.” 

Angus joined the course and loved it, and his mum sent us a note saying: 

“Angus settled well into the course and was able to get himself ready to go and travel there independently – which tells me that he was happy to attend. 

The main thing I have noticed since he has started the course is that he is taking more notice in family discussions and asking questions of other family members and showing an interest in the answers – he would not have done this before.  

Some of the answers he has written in the tasks he was set are interesting and not what he would necessarily share with us at home –  so it gives me something to work on with him looking towards the future.” 

I’m so proud of the outcomes, and of course what is most important is seeing the lessons put into practice. Since the 2025 programme, we’ve seen multiple attendees get a meaningful job, for example. My hope is that all attendees feel equipped to take on new challenges, whether work, education, volunteering, or any challenges that are important to the person living their life their way. 

Find out more about our Supported Employment pathways, including our Bradford service at: Supported employment – United Response