A unexpected twist of fate

June 2013 - I began hosting European students for an organization in Mallow called "Your International Training" who unlike others, I had worked with in the past, brought in older students who were seeking unpaid work experience compared to students attending the local high school. How simple that must be - what company would refuse free workers??The weather was exceptionally hot and the days and lazy evenings in the garden were ones of pure bliss. We were hosting 2 fabulous Polish boys with almost zero English but amazing manners and a huge amount of gratitude for the cold beer when it was still too hot to sit in the garden without shade.

Fast forward to March 2014 and I had a chance encounter with the owner We spoke for a few minutes and I informed him of my desire to return to work as I had been on maternity leave up until April 2013 but due to difficult circumstances I had not returned to my ‘job’. I felt almost ready at this point to re-join the working world, and become, what I perceived normal again. Long story short, Paul offered me a part time job which was perfect for me and my family at the time.

Oh! what a shock to the system "Your International Training", was in so many different ways. Looking back, I was innocent and an idealist and very inexperienced - how I laugh at how I thought things would work. My job was going to be simple!! A) organising host family accommodation (easy right?) - (I am a host Family and I know plenty of people who are too) and B) organizing work experience for the students in the field of their study - this should be OK (maybe). What I did not factor in was that every student would have different expectations. Every student would have different abilities. Every student would have different family and cultural backgrounds and, that one size did not fit all.

We worked very closely together in the Mallow office over the next few years - growing bigger every year, opening new locations, and learning from our experience with each passing month. We were problem solvers, and as time passed, I noticed that when an incident with a student occurred, I found I was beginning to become more tolerant, more understanding about the really silly stunt the student had just pulled off and then, I was not so judgmental as I would have been. My family was growing and changing at this stage too, perhaps this helped as my son was now 18 years old and I could relate to the students in front of me when they made mistakes or their attitude was belligerent.

My entire universe changed in April 2018 when we all were given the opportunity to run and own our own location. What was happening?? This was above and beyond all of our imaginings, but it happened, and it was about to change our entire lives forever.I went from host family to a Managing director in a matter of 4 short years.

The challenges are still there, they are still real. Unfortunately, you are only as successful as your last group/project. Tomorrow you could have a personality clash with an accompanying teacher as they are so stressed with the responsibility of 15 or so students, or a difficult student who will tell you; that your best host family literally was under performing. We occasionally get it wrong as, when a family forgets to go shopping and the students receive no breakfast or packed lunch for their working day ahead, this often results in a student having to be moved to a different host family. Our students are people, they are someone’s children, whether they are 18 or 30 years old. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly, and to be given a chance and a voice. Finding the truth in such situations can be challenging, but, we must remember there are 3 sides to every story.

In my new role, I have great responsibility. I must ensure high standards of accommodation, high quality work placements. The students are our clients, they are our friends, and we must always strive to give them the best experience Ireland has to offer. Additionally, alongside this great responsibility, my daily tasks change rapidly. One day I could be in the office setting out new timetables, the next I could be on the road meeting new companies as we are always seeking new companies to host our ever-growing number of students. Occasionally, I get to showcase what our beautiful country has to offer with our day trips. The most interesting so far, is how I get to visit our schools in all the different countries in which we work. Last year alone I visited Lithuania, Latvia, Spain and Italy, and the most beautiful tiny country of San Marino. Who could complain about opportunities like this?

I have found that working with people is rewarding and grounding, because I get the chance to meet all kinds of young people who are on their own journey and their own special path in life.

Tara Breslin