Gifted Women began with a simple idea: what if a business could be a place of change?
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, our founder Jenny Adjene decided to use her e-commerce business for good. In September 2020, she created an employment programme for women in recovery from problematic substance use and those with experience of the criminal justice system. Four women were employed through the scheme, and many more were offered work placements.
The experience was transformative – not only for the women involved, but for Jenny herself. It became clear, though, that while giving someone a job could be life-changing, it wasn’t the whole picture.
In September 2021, Jenny and a newly formed board of trustees registered Gifted Women as a charity. Its purpose: to support women facing multiple disadvantage – including problematic substance use, justice involvement, and homelessness – to move towards stable, sustainable employment, breaking the cycle and building a purposeful, joy-filled future
In January 2022, we piloted our first group work programme in Tavistock. Twelve women took part – some travelling from Plymouth to attend. The response was powerful. We quickly realised the need for something more permanent, and closer to where it was most needed.
By April 2022, we had raised enough funds to employ our first members of staff. One of them was Kim – the very first ‘Gifted Woman.’
Kim had been part of our journey from the start, and when she became our first Lead Group Facilitator, she brought not just lived experience, but compassion, strength, and a deep understanding of the women we walk alongside. Her role helped shape the way we work – and the heart of who we are.
That same spring, we moved our groups to Plymouth, where the need was greater, launched our 12-week employability course (now called Flourish), and began working with referral partners including Trevi Women, Harbour, Probation, and many others.
In summer 2022, we ran our first Peer Mentor training course, training women to use their lived experience to support others earlier on in their journeys. Since this time, we have continued to have an incredible number of volunteer Peer Mentors who make such a difference.
In January 2023, we welcomed our first Employability Advocate, expanding our programme to include one-to-one mentoring and support. We also hired a manager to help us meet the growing demand. Thanks to support from the Rank Foundation, we began hosting a weekly social drop-in group – a safe and welcoming space for connection, encouragement, and community.
October 2023 brought a major milestone: our first grant from the National Lottery Community Fund, which gave us the sustainability to grow stronger. It had been a case of ‘sink or swim’ – and Gifted Women was finally swimming.
In 2024, we moved into our new home at Mutley Baptist Church. We now run weekly employability support sessions where women can work on their CVs, prepare for interviews, and take the next step toward work.
Today, we work with up to 50 women each year, offering a range of group and individual support as they navigate their path toward employment – and towards a life they choose for themselves.
In Summer 2025, we appointed our first CEO – Lucy Linn – who had been part of our team since 2023 as our Operations Manager.
This wasn’t about scaling up fast or growing our services. It was a deliberate step towards building the steady and sustainable foundation Gifted Women needs for the long term. As we continue to grow in depth rather than size, her leadership helps us stay focused on what matters most: keeping the women we serve at the heart of everything we do.
This is only the beginning. But everything we’ve built – and everything still to come – stands on the foundation of a simple idea: that real change is possible, and women deserve the support to make it happen.
