Balqis Mukhtar, aged 23 from Islington, had her first child at the age of 18 and dedicated herself to her role as a mother and wife. She was desperate to do something to make her children proud, so she signed up for the Team programme.

From the first week on Team, the 12-week personal development course that gives unemployed young people the skills and confidence to find work, Balqis showed a caring attitude towards other group members and soon became the mother figure. It was then that she spoke of an ambition to work with young people, began to take the initiative on tasks and her confidence grew massively from there.

After developing her CV, she undertook a work placement with us, shadowing the Team Leaders with classroom management and helping the students with their work, before completing a Level 3 Certificate in Education.

The staff have not only given me the confidence and helped me to develop my skills, but they also made sure I was aware of various opportunities and helped to arrange interviews.

As a result of attending a Get Hired event – which matches young people looking for work with employers that have jobs - in the summer of 2015, Balqis was offered a job with Standard Life, where she now works in a secretarial role. She has also had the chance to work as a senior mentor for the NCS Challenge to help her gain valuable experience in youth work.

The Prince’s Trust has done so much to help me transform my life. It showed that The Prince's Trust really does care about me, which has motivated me to pursue my goals. I now have a chance to follow a path that means something to me, and I’d never have thought that was possible before.