“I went to school back in Jamaica and my school days were a very mixed time. I was a bright child - I skipped grade 9 and moved straight on to grade 10. I was involved in every sport and was doing over 14 subjects. However, I then got expelled when I was part of something that was beyond my control. It was a very tough time because my mum died when I was 15 and I moved to another part of the country and was sent to a public school. It was very hard. Things moved more slowly out in the countryside and I missed being in a city.

“After school finished, I came to live in the UK as I was always looking for new opportunities or ways to better myself and I knew I’d wasted a lot of time in my life but had potential.

“Before I got involved with The Prince’s Trust, I was a key worker, helping different clients with their domestic care and doing things like going to the shops for them. I found The Prince’s Trust online and signed up for the Enterprise course.

Before I went on the course, I had no confidence and I couldn’t speak for myself but the course really helped me come out of my shell. From the ice breaker challenge to the guest speakers they organised, The Trust taught me new ways of putting myself out there. For example, one week when I was in church, I even put myself forward to speak which I never would have done before because I lacked self-esteem.

“On the Enterprise course, it was so helpful to be able to talk to other like-minded young people who hoped to start their own businesses too. It was really energising and I’ve never been in a community like that before where people are so willing to help. I had wanted to start some diaries with inspirational quotes on them but got a bit thrown off the idea. My mentor was fantastic though and helped me work through my ideas. I couldn’t believe the level of support we received and the workshops were all free. However, I decided to put the business idea on hold because I had a lot going on. Because I was classified as homeless, a charity sponsored me to go back to college. I was trying to make myself happy and always tried to seek help when I needed it after going through some tough experiences growing up.

“I graduated from college last year and had been out of a job for quite some time when the pandemic hit. I’m always on The Prince’s Trust website and saw they were running a virtual Get into Health and Social Care course so I signed up.

I was sceptical about it being virtual but it was actually just like it would have been had it been face to face. Everything was on point and the staff running it were fantastic. They gave us lots of help with mock interviews and, in the end, out of six jobs I interviewed for, I was offered five! I now work full-time for a private company as a support worker.

“If I hadn’t been on the course, I think I would be sitting alone at home. The Prince’s Trust has helped in a big way. They’re the reason I’m in a job because, without them, I wouldn’t have known how to answer certain questions or express myself. I knew I had the qualifications before, but they gave me the chance to really prepare for interviews. The lessons they’ve taught me make me feel empowered and able to look forward to the future.

In the future, I would like to be both a social worker and a best-selling author! I want to share my experiences and let people know there’s light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve had to seek help in the past and sometimes it takes strength to even do that. I want to be a positive role model for my daughter and be the best mum that I can be.

“To someone thinking of seeking support from The Prince’s Trust, I’d tell them to do it as quickly as possible! You will have no regrets. You’re getting valuable information for free and it can only make your life better.”