Paradigm Foundation helps resident with dog grooming qualification

Paradigm resident, Joanna Bartlett, has completed her Level 2 dog grooming course thanks to a grant from Paradigm Foundation.

Joanna has had dogs all of her life and has always wanted to learn a skill to keep her dogs looking their best and help her friends with their dogs too! Housing Officer Tanya Thomas explained about Paradigm Foundation grants and put her in touch with Resident Employment and Training Officer Elaine Rixon who was able to turn her dream in to a reality.

The grant allowed Joanna to complete a week-long dog grooming course at GroomArts Academy which involved a range of skills sessions from learning which brushes are best for which dogs to grooming a pug that didn’t like having his feet touched!

Joanna, who was living in a tent in her friend’s garden before being given a Paradigm property, said the “Paradigm Foundation grant has saved my life. Paradigm in general have saved my life and this grant has given me a lighter step.” She also wanted to thank both Elaine Rixon and Tanya Thomas for their help.

The Level 2 qualification means that Joanna is now a qualified dog grooming assistant. She is hoping to get funding to complete a Level 3 qualification and become a fully-qualified dog groomer. Joanna’s dream is to use her new skills to help others by going into homeless drop in centres to groom people’s dogs for free.