With 28 years of experience in the Careers Service, Sonia is driven by a simple but powerful belief: every young person—regardless of background or need—deserves the right guidance to unlock their potential and shape a future that inspires them.
At BDSIP, Sonia delivers tailored careers advice and guidance to students in schools, helping them explore possibilities, build confidence, and make informed choices about their next steps. Her approach is rooted in listening, understanding, and providing impartial support that empowers young people to take ownership of their journey.
Before joining BDSIP, Sonia worked as a Special Needs Careers Adviser with the Education Health Care Team for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham. She supported students with additional needs across a wide range of settings, including Additional Resource Provision (ARP) in schools, Alternative Provisions, “out of borough” schools, and local and national further education colleges. She attended annual review meetings with students and parents, ensuring that progression plans were not only realistic but aspirational. Her work also extended to “Looked After Children” and students in residential schools, advocating for their needs and ambitions.
Alongside her BDSIP role, Sonia works with Inspire in Newham as a freelance careers adviser in mainstream schools, delivering one-to-one interviews, attending parent evenings, and hosting information sessions. Whether with Year 10s starting to think about their options or Year 11s ready to take the next step, Sonia offers clear, impartial guidance to help them navigate choices with confidence.
Holding Level 4 and Level 6 Diplomas in Careers Advice and Guidance, Sonia also brings experience from several ESF-funded projects and her time as an Employment and Training Adviser, where she helped young people into education, employment, and training. Throughout her career, her mission has remained constant: to open doors, remove barriers, and champion the ambitions of every student she works with.