Being a production trainee at IJP

I first started working for Inside Job Productions three days before my 26th birthday, and found myself feeling more like an 18 year old just leaving school. I was so nervous, terrified of talking to and being around people I didn't know. For the last ten months I'd only had to talk to people I knew, and if I didn't know them I knew where they were coming from, they were in the same place as me.

Quicker than I thought I got used to being out in the world and doing normal things, which helped my confidence and self-esteem immensely. Also being in an organisation that was sympathetic to my background really helped. I did loads of different jobs, from basic things like answering the phone and sorting the post to helping out on shoots and even filming and editing.

After being at IJP for six months I got a temp job as an admin assistant and I found it difficult not being able to be open about my past. Although I didn't have any problems with my confidence I didn't relly feel comfortable. I feel a lot happier where I am now, at Clean Break, as they're an organisation that's also sympathetic to people with experience of the criminal justice system. My experience at IJP has helped me in so many ways, I wouldn't have even heard about the job at Clean Break, let alone got it!

Verity LaRoche, Production Trainee, Inside Job Productions