Fardousa Osman – aka Fifi – is using her past experience supporting mental health patients and her own recent personal trauma to help others in her new role at a Walsall recruitment firm.
“I know how they feel,” Fifi said of the people who she now works with to help build their confidence and guide them into work as they move past set-backs and mental health struggles.
The 31-year-old art and design graduate, who lives in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, began working for a private mental health hospital after Covid severely impacted her wedding photography business.
Burnt out
After four years as a support worker Fifi was emotionally exhausted and, at the end of 2023, knew it was time to leave the mental health hospital.
At the end of 2024, having been through a “healing phase” aided by regular exercise, her religious faith and a holiday in Dubai, Fifi was ready to go again.
Through the government’s Restart scheme, which helps people back into employment, she landed a job at the start of 2025 as a part-time admin at a GP surgery in Birmingham – only to be suddenly let go in April due to NHS funding issues.
Once again, Fifi found herself in search of a job, while continuing to do wedding coordinating on the side.
Career change
“I contacted Restart again and they connected me with Starting Point Recruitment,” said Fifi. After talking with me one of the managers said: ‘You’d be great.’”
Fifi now works as a Success Coach at SPR. It involves working with applicants, known as “participants,” to build their confidence and support them into fulfilling employment.
“My background in mental health comes in useful. I can spot whether people need support, whether they need behavioural therapy and I can work out what their trigger points are,” said Fifi.
‘Meshing all my skills together to help people’
“I feel like I am meshing all my skills and experiences together to help people.”
Fifi draws on what she learnt when she “had to leave her job [at the mental health hospital] because I was not in the right place to help others when I was going through a lot personally.”
She added: “I have always been a positive person, so I advise people to be positive and pour into their own cup.
‘One day at a time’
“I believe everything happens for a reason. That’s part of my Muslim faith. God is in control. I see my journey through life as flowing through waves. I go through good times and bad times by taking one day at a time.
“While my journey shapes my approach, I’m here to help anyone facing challenges, no matter what they’ve been through.”
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