You can change young lives

La’Jay found The Prince’s Trust when seeking employment. He was trying to find a job and was on the verge of losing his house. Due to his resilience and passion for helping others, he now has a permanent role as a youth worker helping vulnerable children for a local authority.

“When I was out of work, I was doing everything I could to find a job. I looked online, went to the job centre and job fairs. I had had a run-in with the justice system which made applying for jobs very challenging. My life was extremely difficult at this point. I was on the verge of losing my home and I was stressed out trying to find a job. It was hard.”

In May 2019, La’Jay signed up for the Future Leaders programme which focuses on personal development, building confidence and essential employability skills.

I just wanted to do something constructive, and I found the programme very motivating and uplifting. It made me realise that I still had something to offer. Working with the Trust helped me to remember my self-worth which gave me back my self-confidence.
La’Jay then went to Get Hired, also run by The Trust, which brings together employers and young people without the need for a CV.

“I kept going to Get Hired events until I got a job at a café in Southwark. While working there, I also worked with a Prince’s Trust Executive in London and, together, we went into prisons to talk about my story, The Trust and how it helped me. I felt like I was making a difference and it cemented my goal of wanting to help others.”

In February 2020, La’Jay interviewed for a youth work apprenticeship with a local authority and was offered the position in March, just before the pandemic hit.

"During the pandemic, it was a very uncertain time for me. I was furloughed from my job at the café and wasn’t sure whether my new job offer still stood. I’d always wanted a full-time position and, finally, that opportunity was within reach. I feel like I missed out on opportunities during the pandemic – career-building, networking, and gaining new skills all stalled. Luckily, my apprenticeship began in July 2020. Starting this new role was challenging as I had to adapt to working with young people and colleagues virtually. However, after the 18 months was up, I passed with distinction."

La’Jay then applied for a full-time permanent role as a Youth Worker and got the job!

“I was so happy to be offered a permanent position – I work with looked-after children and care leavers, so I wanted to provide consistency and remain there for them. I was proud of myself and relieved I had achieved my goal.

“However, we are living through quite an uncertain time and people my age and younger are worried about the cost-of-living crisis. I think a lot of people are making small day-to-day changes to prepare for the winter months.

“All in all, I think living through the pandemic has taught me so much and made me more resilient and confident. I hope that in the near future, I can continue to have a positive impact on children and young people and create more time to establish myself in my career and focus on doing things for myself.

“I’m still involved with The Prince’s Trust and I would recommend anyone who is thinking of seeking support from the Trust to go for it!”

With your support we can help many more young people like Jack build their confidence to start something.

Jack is now undertaking a Health and Social Care Apprenticeship for adults with learning disabilities. Before he was supported with The Prince’s Trust, he struggled with anxiety and was out of work after college.

“My anxiety first started when my grandad died during my GCSEs, which impacted my schoolwork. The anxiety then started building up again during the pandemic. I had to finish college at home during lockdown, and I struggled without one-to-one teaching.

“After leaving college, I got rejected from hundreds of jobs. I was looking for retail work, and I felt frustrated that I was putting a lot of time and effort in for people to just look at my CV and never reply to me. It felt like I wasn’t wanted anywhere and that I wasn’t going to have a future.”

Jack finally found a job in a local warehouse, however he had to leave after two days due to the workplace’s negative environment causing him panic attacks. After struggling to find work for a year, he signed up for Team with The Prince’s Trust in Spring 2021, a 12-week personal development course delivered by South Yorkshire Fire and Police Service.

“Team really helped me gain confidence and make new friends. All the different activities we did helped me build up my strengths, as well as identifying my weaknesses.

“The things I learnt on this course have truly made me into the person that I am right now. I learnt that I shouldn’t be afraid to try new things like facing my fears by doing different types of activities. I’m also more confident in what I do, I’m more self-motivated and now I tell myself every morning that it’s a brand new day and I can do this.”

After graduating, Jack changed his plans from working in retail when he realised he could try working at a day care centre for adults with learning disabilities where he completed his community project with The Prince’s Trust. Jack thrived in this role and is now undertaking an apprenticeship with the centre, where he will gain a Level 2 qualification in Health and Social Care.

“It’s been really awesome. Everyone I work with is friendly and we work hard to make sure everyone’s happy and that visitors to the centre get a warm family welcome. I feel I’m giving a lot back to my community.

“Before starting the job, my anxiety kept building up, but working here I feel calm. I don’t ever want to leave - I’m learning and progressing on my apprenticeship.

“I used to always be the person at the back of the line that never stepped forward, but now I feel like my shadow has gone, and I’ve stepped into the light. If you’re struggling with your mental health, don’t give up – go for opportunities you want that will help you stand up on your own two feet.”

In these challenging times for everyone, thank you so much for thinking of what young people are going through, and supporting them as they try to navigate their lives and begin their careers amidst this crisis.