Return To Work Case Study: Jacky York

Name: Jacky York
Location: Kirkby Thore, Eden

Previous work and experience: Jacky worked in marketing for 25 years with senior roles in both consumer and industrial businesses, from confectionary to chemicals. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and is currently Chair of the CIM’s Cumbrian group.

Disability or incapacity: Jacky has suffered with chronic neck, back and arm pain since an accident when she was a teenager but things came to a head when she was diagnosed with severe anaemia and jaw problems in 2001.

“I was signed off work for three months at first but, having two serious problems at the same time, it was hard to cope with a very demanding job with long hours and sometimes tight deadlines. I ended up taking voluntary redundancy and having several operations on my neck and jaw. As soon as I could, I started working on short term contracts or as a freelance marketing consultant.”

Benefits of Return to Work schemes: Jacky has been in contact with a Job Centre Plus adviser and the national Disability Net, as well as Lynne Fox at CREA.

“The main benefit for me of getting involved in the advice and disability support network has been the practical advice and also financial help on equipment to help me to work. I have a special chair, voice-activated computer software and a desk that can rise up so that I can stand to work. This all helps to make self-employment work for me as I can handle more hours.”

Current status: Jacky York Marketing is a growing business, specialising in marketing for industrial or more technical businesses – from research and customer relationship marketing to new product development – and quite a lot of copywriting and communications. Jacky is able to work 35 hours per week, sometimes more.

“The big benefit of self-employment is that I can be flexible. I can control the volume of work and I can lie down or have a break to move around whenever I need to. Self-employment seemed like a big step but I am glad that I took the risk.”

Future plans and hopes: Jacky is hoping to gradually shift to more strategic marketing planning and advice but is enjoying the challenges of her current projects too. She is involved in NWDA and Rural Women’s Network activities as well as CIM.

“The down side of self-employment and working from home is that I spend a lot of time on my own. If I am in pain or feeling worried about my health, things can get out of perspective very quickly so I enjoy time spent with the other groups as social networks and as ways to meet people who also want to bounce new ideas around. I am interested in developing my skills as a trainer as it would be good to share my knowledge and experience, especially now my jaw problems are greatly improved and I’m back talking again!”

“For some people like Jacky, who have skills and experience that they can convert to self-employment, this route is the right choice as it can give them greater flexibility to manage their working life around their health condition. CREA’s long experience of assisting people to start up in business together with the Return to Work programme offers great support for this alternative route to employment.”
Lynne Fox, Business Support and Planning Manager at CREA.

Contact Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency (CREA) Kendal office on 015397 26624 for further information on the Return to Work scheme and also for advice on business start up courses.