Empress Gibbs

Empress has worked on the front line in the third and care sectors with children, young people and adults who were vulnerable. For many years Empress saw first-hand how policy hinders the social mobility of an individual within society. 

Empress has worked in many roles in the community as a Probation Service Officer for the National Probation Service, monitoring low – medium risk ex-offender with Class A drug misuse issues. Youth Support Worker at I Can Youth project, working with young people aged 14 – 16 years, empowering them and providing a service to enable them to fulfil their aspiration and goals in life. Elderly Care assistant at Community Careline Services, 1 st Hand Care Ltd and Stiled Homes Care Services, helping and supporting the elderly to keep their independence at home. Family Support Worker at Victory Outreach Recovery Homes, working with women in a residential setting, enabling them to take the steps to change their lives from a life of dependency on drugs and alcohol. This enabled Empress to help and support those individuals to make positive changes in their lives physically, mentally and emotionally. 

Empress went on and completed an Access to Social Work Level 3 with the full 60 credits award. Whilst on this course I was nominated for the Open College Network West Midlands Access to HE Learner Award and won for my commitment to study and outstanding achievement. However, after a very long battle with mental health due to the loss of a significant other, Empress was not able to complete her BA Social Policy (Housing and Communities) Degree at The University of Birmingham. 

Empress is now the owner and founder of Skate Buddies, an organisation that focusses on supporting young people and adults in the repair, maintenance, and improvement of their mental health through roller skating. After a very severe mental breakdown and suffering through years of clinical depression, self-harm and suicide, Empress started on a journey of self-discovery, healing and recovery. From that journey Skate Buddies was birthed and manifested from the discoveries she made along her healing journey.