Danny West
In 1985, Danny West was one of the first people in the UK to be diagnosed as HIV positive at the age of 24 – only a year after he’d qualified as a social worker. After a number of years working in the new and evolving UK HIV charities such as London Lighthouse and Body Positive, Danny was forced to give up work. He lived on benefits for 14 years, but three years ago he returned to learning.
Through improved medical treatments and the loss of his state benefits, Danny returned to work and set up his own business. “I needed to learn to increase my knowledge and skills, which would enable me to set up my own business and return to work,” he said.
In those three years Danny has done a huge amount of learning. He has trained as a life coach (with the Coaching Academy), learnt how to start and run his own training and coaching business (with help from an ESF-funded project), and completed a management qualification with the Chartered Management Institute.
Danny now operates a successful business, working throughout the UK and Europe delivering training, leadership consultancy and coaching. Danny primarily works with disabled people, people with long-term health conditions and HIV, and the organisations that support them. He is Vice-Chair of National Long Term Survivors Group, a national user-led support organisation for those living with HIV.
“My learning has increased my confidence and abilities. It has enabled me to fulfil a lifetime goal. My work is inspirational and extremely rewarding, and I am motivated by making a significant difference to the lives of the people with whom I work.”