They told her she would struggle to get a job and that voluntary work would lead nowhere.
And she proved them wrong.
A Huddersfield woman who has cerebral palsy has landed her dream job working for West Yorkshire Police – after two years volunteering for them.
Victoria Haddon, 28, has spent the last 24 months volunteering at Huddersfield Police Station, and worked on big projects with the Kirklees District division.
Now Victoria says she is delighted after applying for and landing a role with the prosecution team in Bradford.
She said: “As someone with a disability, I have found it really hard when trying to find a full time job. I have mild cerebral palsy and it affects my fine motor skills and also my cognitive learning – so sometimes it can take me a little longer to understand and process information.
“One of my job advisors told me that it would be a waste of time volunteering for West Yorkshire Police as it would not help me get a job, or that the work I would undertake for the force would only be relevant to the police service. I have found volunteering for the force one of the most positive experiences I have had and definitely not a waste of time at all.”
Victoria said she had almost given up hope of ever finding work when the opportunity to volunteer arose, and has since been helped by PCs Terence Brady and Anna Button.
She had struggled with interviews but got help from colleagues to reach her potential.
She added: “My advice for other people who are may be struggling with interviews would be to talk through the interview with someone, go through the role profile of the job, talk about it to help you put your skills into where they fit within the role and test your knowledge about the organisation.
“I am really looking forward to my first day as a prosecution team administrator in Bradford, but I will be sad to leave the Kirklees District as a volunteer.
“I can’t wait for the new challenge and to start a new chapter.”
