Taryn began his journey with EMA’s education provision in September 2019, and since then has shown how the right support can enable a young person to achieve as they move through education, into adult social care, and paid employment as they build their future.
Arriving to us quite shy, and with some difficulties around his personal mental health, while attending EMA as a student, Taryn found stability when he discovered his passion for landscaping and horticulture, which was a big part of him opening up and his initial development.
“At the start it took me a little while to settle in, but I eventually started enjoying the learning, and working in the gardens!” – Taryn
“When I took over as Taryn’s tutor, he was focused on developing his independent living skills and preparing for his next steps. It was a difficult time for him, especially with the previous impact of lockdown, which presented additional challenges. Over time, Taryn began to channel his energy into the goal of becoming more independent and finding meaningful work. Eventually, he was supported to find a work placement that suited him well – something he genuinely enjoyed and could thrive in. It’s brilliant to see he’s carried on his commitment to his independence and is doing so well beyond education” – Shannon, Tutor at EMA
In 2020, alongside education, Taryn also moved into one of our Adult Social Care provision’s supported living houses, and all support staff across education and social care worked in tandem to help him through those challenging periods while he looked to gain his independence and complete his studies.
“Taryn first moved into Supported Living in 2020, when he felt ready to take the next step from living with family. During his time at Mallard House, he benefited from continuity of support, with information shared seamlessly between our adult social care and education teams. This collaborative approach helped Taryn navigate a particularly challenging period in his life, especially as his mental health was impacted post-COVID.” – Craig Hutton, Adult Social Care
Now feeling more stable in education, and his new accommodation, Taryn gained practical qualifications in the use of hedge trimmers and ride-on lawnmowers, developing both his technical skills and his confidence with industry tools. After three years of steady progress, learning in the environment of The Walled Garden, and alongside the professional gardening team, Taryn proudly graduated EMA in July 2022.
Developing Independence
Following graduation, Taryn chose to stay connected with professionals from The Walled Garden by volunteering with the estates and gardening team a few times a week. This hands-on experience allowed him to build valuable teamwork and communication skills, as well as confidence in interacting with the public. His independence continued to grow with the support of the Adult Social Care team. Through travel training, he learned to travel independently between Weymouth, Dorchester, and Poole. Once confident, Taryn would often cycle to Moreton train station to catch the train – or, if services were cancelled, cycle all the way into Dorchester to visit the gym or explore the town!
“Gaining my independence has been a huge achievement for me. I like to be chilled when I’m at home but it’s been good to make new friends too.” – Taryn
In November 2023, Taryn took the next step towards independence by moving into Downend, closer to his family, and with better access to Dorchester town centre and its amenities. This move gave him the opportunity to flourish even further – balancing work, fitness, and independent living.
“Through this support, Taryn developed valuable skills for independent living and naturally progressed to Downend, which offers a more autonomous environment. Downend is designed for young people like Taryn, with floating support tailored to individual needs and innovative use of Alexa technology that links to our out-of-hours and on-call services. This setup means individuals don’t require overnight staff presence but still have peace of mind and access to emergency support.
Since making this move, Taryn has gone from strength to strength, recognising when his wellbeing dips and proactively seeking support, while continuing to build independence and work-related skills. He should be incredibly proud of what he’s achieved, and both our education and social care teams at EMA should be equally proud of the exceptional support they’ve provided. Reflecting on Taryn’s journey is a pleasure, and it truly exemplifies what EMA stands for.” – Craig Hutton, Head of Adult Social Care
Volunteering, to paid work.
With his independence advancing so positively, Taryn’s continued enthusiasm and commitment to developing his career made a strong impression to an EMA employment partner, and in early 2024 he joined the GreenCare team with Dorset Community Action – initially as a volunteer.
Thanks to his strong work ethic and reliability, Taryn was soon offered paid employment. He now works across EMA’s supported living houses, maintaining the lawns and hedges, and also takes on private gardening jobs in and around Dorset with GreenCare, meaning he’s out and about dealing with the public, facing new challenges, and tackling them head on, with the support of his mentors, and now colleagues.
“It’s great having Taryn on the team, he gets on well with everyone and is very funny. He has picked up new skills and enjoys meeting new customers. He appears a lot more confident than when he first started, he follows instructions well and gets the job done to a good level.” – Lydia, Enterprise Coordinator at GreenCare / Dorset Community Action
“The GreenCare work is going great, I enjoy the private jobs, going offsite and meeting new customers. Looking ahead I’d like to keep working towards a leadership role.” – Taryn
The words from Taryn, his colleagues, and the support staff show that his journey continues on a hugely positive path. GreenCare has aspirations to offer more services, including garden design, and they’re in the midst of a promotional push in the local area, which Taryn is featured in, showing how individuals like him set the business apart from those like it.
“I sometimes can’t believe I actually get paid to do this for work” – Taryn.
EMA Support Workers shared a few more words on their experiences with Taryn.
“Taryn has grown in confidence over the last few years. He has his menu and shopping list ready when I arrive, and his laundry is already in the washing machine before we go shopping. He checks best-before dates, organises himself, and doesn’t need prompts. Around the house, he cooks and cleans for himself, and manages his work rota independently. If he lived by himself in town, he’d need very little support at all.” Bill – Support Worker in Social Care
“I have watched Taryn develop his skills and confidence at a steady rate since his time in EMA education to now in a manner he should be proud of. Watching Taryn go from being quite shy and uncertain of his abilities to being able to confidently work, care for himself and become independent has been a real pleasure.” – Aimee, Support Worker in Supported Living
“I’ve only known Taryn a short time, and he’s a pleasure to support. His work in the gardens at Moreton and on private jobs has given him a real sense of purpose and belonging. Through his job, I’ve seen his confidence grow enormously in such a short space of time.” Joanne – Support Worker in Supported Living
“As part of Taryn’s support team since his college days, I’ve seen his steady progress towards independent living. He developed strong daily living and communication skills at Mallard House and has built on them since moving to Downend. Taryn now leads a very independent life – regularly attending the gym, shopping, and cycling with friends. He takes full responsibility for his work and activities. It’s great to see how far he’s come.” – Harry – Support Worker in Supported Living
Taryn’s Dad, Kevin, also offered some perspective on his son’s journey since 2019 with EMA.
“Prior to Taryn joining EMA he went through mainstream school and nearly two years at college. This proved very difficult for him, he struggled with confidence and communicating with others around him. Joining EMA turned this around and as parents we have watched him grow in confidence and independence.
Taryn was able to sit his English and Maths GCSE’s and also gain his certificates for use of garden equipment. A huge turning point for him was the opportunity to move into assisted living. This gave Taryn new challenges of money management, cooking, cleaning, and weekly food shops, all of which he can now do independently. Taryn has made some great friends along the way including with the excellent staff at EMA, and has turned into a very social and independent young man. A credit to you all!”
Taryn’s journey is a prime example of how education, supported living, and meaningful employment come together in helping young adults develop confidence, independence, and a strong sense of purpose, building them a future they were previously struggling to find. From a timid student in 2019 to a capable, self-reliant young adult with a thriving career and independent lifestyle, Taryn’s story is one of true success – both for him and for everyone who has supported him along the way. We are excited to see where the future takes him.
For further information on how EMA’s education and Adult Social Care services can help you, please explore our websites, and get in touch today.
