Sami
Jeffs
Before Sami, 24, from
Somerset, came to The Prince’s Trust, she was
suffering from agoraphobia and had not left her flat for three
years. After taking part in the Team programme, Sami’s confidence
has improved dramatically and she is now in her second year of
studying for a BTEC National Diploma in Art and Design.
When Sami moved from school to college she found the transition,
in particular the daily bus commute, very stressful. Her extreme
anxiety about new situations – diagnosed as agoraphobia – caused
her to have daily panic attacks and she gradually stopped leaving
her house.
After
three years of being housebound, Sami began to regularly self harm
to cope with her isolation as she felt beaten by her condition and
frustrated with her lack of control.
Sami spent her days developing her passion; painting and
drawing. Before she was affected by her condition, she had dreams
of studying art but she stopped thinking this was a possibility as
her agoraphobia worsened.
She eventually sought help from her GP and with their support
she eventually moved into supported housing at The Foyer.
Hoping to encourage Sami to start feeling more confident about
leaving her flat, her support worker, Vicki Trim, put her forward
for The Prince’s Trust Team programme, a 12-week personal
development course which gives unemployed young people the skills
and confidence to find work.
Despite feeling overwhelmed at the start of the programme, Sami
soon became an integral part of the team. As the only girl in the
group, she learnt to speak up for herself and express her opinions
to become an excellent team leader on tasks including the community
project where her skills in art were utilised in the design of a
garden for a dementia care home.
With the support of the programme, Sami’s confidence and
self-esteem have improved dramatically. On finishing, she
re-entered education and is now in her second year of studying for
a BTEC National Diploma in Art and Design. She is currently
completing University applications for some of the top Art
Universities in the Country. Sami has also become an Ambassador for
The Foyer and regularly volunteers on other Prince’s Trust projects
to inspire other young people to turn their lives around.
Sami said:
Thanks to The Prince’s Trust, I am now full of
hope for my future. I used to be so anxious I couldn’t leave my
house and I thought I’d be stuck at home my whole life. Now, I am
going to go to university to become an illustrator and I feel like
I’m finally living my life.
Champions
We would like to acknowledge the individuals or organisations
who have played a key role in helping this young person achieve
success through their Prince’s Trust programme.
- Robert Penney, Bridgwater
College
- Vicki Trim, The Foyer,
Weston-super-Mare
- Michelle Owen, Team Co-ordinator,
Bridgwater College