In just 9 weeks Ricky has transformed his life with the support he received from the YES Project.
In April 2018, Ricky contacted the Prince’s Trust as he was struggling to find work due to low confidence and lack of motivation. The Prince’s Trust referred Ricky to the YES Project so he could get support to overcome his barriers.
Ricky was open to trying something new and step out of his comfort zone. His YES Project keyworker Ayeshea from Flying Fish signed him up to the YES Media course..
“I really enjoyed the course, I found lots of new things that I enjoyed, such as acting. I was working in a group a lot and it really helped to build my confidence. I also get very anxious in group activities but working on YES Media really helped me feel more at ease and more comfortable.”
During his time on the project Ayesha supported him to go on to attend music sessions at Soft Touch Arts and mental health support from Vickee at The Bridge.
“I felt really supported and not judged. Ayesha felt more like a friend, someone I could trust and talk to about anything without beginning judged.”
Following a successful job application Ricky got invited for an interview at CEX. In preparation Ayesha helped Ricky with interview questions, which paid off as he got offered the job.
Looking back on the progress he has made on the project Ricky said:
“I have really escaped my comfort zone by trying something new, and it has helped me break down the barriers to working that I had. I now feel more confident, I can ask for help without feeling like a failure, and overall, I just feel much happier with myself. It really helped me to start getting my life on track.
Ricky is now planning to save up enough money to eventually move into his own place and support himself. And he’d quite like to do some acting too.