Jack Butterley has been an academy member at SHA for well over 10 years. We have watched Jack grow from a shy young boy into a confident and inspiring young man. Jack was with us at the very first when SHA was founded and running out of Trickshots club in Hillsborough and he has been an integral part of the SHA family ever since.
Jack first came to us when he was 11 years old and SHA staff supported Jack to improve not just his snooker game (which has developed massively) but also his confidence and social skills.
When Jack turned 18 he was almost unrecognisable from the young boy we first me all those years ago and the personal growth we have witnessed in him is a testament to him as a person.
Jack gained so much from his time as a service user at SHA, so when he turned 18 he was very keen to help younger children also access that invaluable support and gain the same benefits from it as he did.
So when his university - Sheffield Hallam announced their internship program for students, Jack was quick to request an internship at SHA.
SHA is always looking to help our members develop further and support them through any challenges that they may have growing up, so when Jack asked us if he could intern with us, we were over the moon. We work to help young people with disabilities learn social skills and at our Volunteer club we endeavour to teach them employability skills to help them find their way into adulthood and the job market. Jack's internship is a shining example of what young people with disabilities can achieve with a little bit of guidance and support.
"I wanted to do an internship that would not just make an impact on myself and my career but would give back to a cause that I believe in so much. This is why I chose to do my internship at SHA. I have been a member of the Stephen Harrison Snooker Academy for over 10 years. During my time at the academy they have provided me with so much support in building my employability skills and confidence. With this new skill set I have developed, I feel like I can push myself to do anything I believe in.
During my time doing the internship at SHA, I have completed a range of tasks that have really helped me to develop my business skills and general employability. All these tasks have boosted my skills in communication, research, and organisation.
Doing my internship at SHA has given me the opportunity to see how the day-to-day operations work and how they support people with disabilities and mental health problems. It has really opened my eyes to what this company is all about and what it represents.
As I am embarking on a PGCE in secondary school biology at Sheffield Hallam University in September, I recognise that I have to work to gain a set of skills needed to become a teacher such as empathy and communication. In my future career, I will come across students who do have a disability, so this internship has given me a much-needed boost in terms of awareness and an understanding of peoples needs.
The main goals of this internship were to boost my employability skills and understand myself a lot better as a person. Thanks to dedication and support SHA has provided me I feel more confident in myself.
This has truly been a great experience and I want to thank Sheffield Hallam University internship program for providing me with the opportunity to work with SHA and I would like to thank SHA for the support they have given me."
Now that Jack's internship has ended he has gone on to use the valuable skills that he learnt at SHA in his teacher training, where he is currently doing marvellously. It is always incredibly encouraging to see our former service users succeeding and doing so well in their career ambitions. SHA staff have done a wonderful job in helping to give Jack the confidence to be able to pursue his dreams of becoming a teacher and by doing this internship Jack was able to develop the skills to help him take his first steps into the workplace, and we at SHA are both humbled and proud.
Congratulations Jack!
To learn more about our Volunteer Club click here: https://www.stephenharrisonacademy.com/volunteer-club
To get involved at SHA click here: https://www.stephenharrisonacademy.com/get-involved
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