Ever wonder who is posting on Working Rite’s social media? Meet Finlay! He is our Development Support Officer and former Working Rite trainee from the South Glasgow Programme. He shares his story and journey with Working Rite so far.

I’m Finlay, the newest member of the Working Rite team. I discovered the Chances programme (formerly the Work Placement Programme) through a Facebook post, my mum recommended I check it out. Taking her advice, I reached out to the programme manager, Maureen, who connected me with one of the Project Coordinators, Rachel. In September 2024, we met at a Starbucks to discuss my career aspirations. At that time, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do, but I had interests in traveling, technology, and I enjoyed creating videos for fun occasionally on YouTube.

My journey up until this point had been quite challenging and all over the place; school just wasn’t for me, and my attendance was poor. Eventually, I left school at 15 and tried to attend college when I was 16 during the COVID pandemic. With 90% of the learning being remote, I felt disconnected from my education and social life, which was detrimental to my motivation and mental health. After a few dead-end jobs, I finally found my way to Working Rite.

I attended induction training with Rachel in a group session, where I completed the Responsibilities of Employment SQA unit. It wasn’t long into my induction when some great news came my way – Rachel told me that Working Rite were looking for a Marketing and Communications Assistant, and she wanted me to apply. Despite having no marketing experience, I tidied up my CV, wrote a cover letter, and after submitting the application – I bagged an interview! I showed up to the interview feeling really anxious, but I was quickly reassured by the interview panel, Scott and Sam, that it’s normal to be nervous and that I’ve not to worry. Even so, I remember admitting to my mum afterwards – “That’s the most nervous I’ve been in my life.” Then, to my surprise, my soon-to-be line manager, Scott, called me with fantastic news: I got the job!

Then comes Tuesday, the 5th of November…My first day! I headed down to the Head Office in Whiteinch, Glasgow, where there were a lot of unfamiliar faces, but a positive energy. The team couldn’t have been nicer. Within the first hour, I immediately received a brand-new laptop and a bunch of equipment, and the reality of the new role really sank in. At first, I feared having new responsibilities as I had been stuck in a rut for around a year. Before joining Working Rite, I lacked routine and direction. My days were unstructured, and I had slipped into habits that held me back.

I felt that I wasn’t good enough for a job like this and thought “What have I got myself into?”, but then I realised that Working Rite were investing in me as a person, and I could only gain from this situation.

Joining Working Rite gave my life structure and purpose; I started eating better, sleeping properly, and waking up early with something to work towards. The support from my mentors and co-workers helped me drop bad habits and rediscover motivation. I finally felt like I was moving forward.

In my day-to-day work, I connect with project coordinators and young people to share success stories and positive outcomes from our trainees. I post these on social media, congratulating them and celebrating their progress. I also create ‘call-to-action’ posts, whether to recruit new staff and volunteers or to raise awareness about our programmes and attract young people.

One of the most meaningful parts of my journey was leading the RiteToShine Christmas social media campaign—my first major project. At first, I was anxious about the expectations and deadlines. But with guidance and encouragement, I learned to plan effectively, manage my workload, and develop key skills in design, research, storytelling, and interviewing.

The campaign gave me incredible opportunities. I interviewed Saul, a former trainee now training to become a mentor with Working Rite, and later sat down with our CEO, Graham Robertson, to create a video for our social media. Being trusted with this work so early on meant a lot.

During my time at Working Rite, I’ve had the chance to travel across the country for work and attend a variety of events. One of the most memorable being The Gathering in Edinburgh, hosted by SCVO at the EICC. Over two days, I helped run our pop-up stand and networked with people from across the third sector. It was a great opportunity to learn more about other charities and organisations making a difference.

I also traveled to Aberdeen for the first time to see how the Choices programme operates. I was welcomed with real positivity from our team there, and the experience made me feel valued in a way I hadn’t often felt in previous workplaces.

After settling into my role, I pitched the idea of taking an online digital marketing course through the Digital Marketing Institute—and my manager approved it. This was the first real opportunity I’d ever had to study and sit an exam, as my time in school had been short-lived. Over three months, I studied hard, took notes, and met deadlines. To my surprise, I passed and received my Digital Marketing Associate Certificate. It felt amazing to see my hard work pay off.

To deepen my understanding of the charity and its impact, I joined our Youth Committee. A space for some of Working Rite’s former trainees to talk about important topics that can help us shape our charity’s work, such as creative direction, impact on young people, and the opportunities the charity can provide. We also have team-building days out, which have helped strengthen our collaboration and sparked fresh ideas. Being part of this group has made me feel even more connected to the mission and values of Working Rite. I’ve also joined Project Coordinators on employer reviews and got a behind-the-scenes look at how placements are supported. One exciting part of my role has been developing my photography skills. Working Rite even provided me with a brand-new Canon EOS M3 camera, which I’ve used while shadowing Sam McGill on shoots across Edinburgh and Glasgow. We’ve captured images in the workplaces where our trainees are building their futures. Since joining Working Rite, I’ve helped elevate our social media presence significantly. Our engagement and posting frequency have improved, and one of my early posts reached 33,000 views, with 130 shares and 133 likes. So far this year on Facebook alone, we’ve achieved 65,000 views and reached over 20,000 people — a 156.3% increase compared to last year!

These are the kinds of results I aim for. I’m passionate about shining a light on our charity and helping give young people like me the same opportunities I’ve been fortunate to receive.

This journey has not only helped me grow professionally but also given me confidence, purpose, and a genuine sense of achievement.

After completing my six-month placement, I was offered a permanent role as Development Support Officer. Now I’m continuing to build on what I’ve learned, taking on new responsibilities, and contributing to the wider development work across the charity.

I now go home each day with a sense of self-worth and achievement I hadn’t felt in a long time. Working Rite gave me the chance to grow, contribute, and believe in myself again—and for that, I’m truly grateful. – Finlay

Here are just a few highlights from Finlay’s time so far:

1 – My first Christmas night out with the team

2 – My first time attending the Gathering 2025

3 – Being part of the Youth Committee