When Jasmine was referred to the Youth Adventure Trust, she was finding the adjustment to secondary school life hard. She was significantly academically behind for her age, and found it difficult to process complex information and to focus. She struggled in social situations, found it hard to ‘fit in’ and was being bullied. Her school hoped that the Youth Adventure Trust could help her to develop better social skills and allow her to believe in herself. Jasmine’s mum has mental health difficulties and with a younger sister with additional needs, it was important for Jasmine to have a place where she could build her confidence and engage with new experiences.
Jasmine embraced the opportunity, she came along to all of her activity days and residential camps and she got stuck into every challenge that came her way. She started to build her confidence being around the other young people and, over time, started to find her voice. She responded well to being given responsibility and began encouraging other young people, taking the lead on activities and developing her team work skills. For Jasmine, the Adventure Programme provided her with the space to feel safe and accepted, where she was then able to develop interpersonal skills and start to realise her potential. Jasmine’s Programme Manager felt she would benefit from further support to continue with this positive development, so referred her to our Mentoring Programme.
Jasmine was filled with excitement about the prospect of mentoring when she was approached about the opportunity. With her final year of secondary school approaching, she felt it could really help her manage her stress with studying and the pressure of her GCSEs, and hoped it would help her develop more self belief. Jasmine wanted her mentor to be energetic, chatty and someone to have fun with. We were lucky to find Sarah who was kind, fun-loving, positive and easy to talk to, and who we felt would be the perfect fit for supporting Jasmine over the year of mentoring.
Jasmine and Sarah started to get to know each other through their fortnightly sessions, enjoying board games, crazy golf and bowling together. Jasmine immediately felt a connection with Sarah; noticing their similarities and feeling comfortable with her, she looked forward to their sessions. Jasmine’s Dad recognised how positive things were at an early review meeting:
A week before she’s talking about you, the week after she’s talking about you….. ‘We’re doing this….we’re doing that…’. She quickly makes a decision if she likes someone or not, and she liked you straight away.
Jasmine’s Dad
Jasmine lives in a busy household and often helps to look after her younger sister who has additional needs. Mentoring offered Jasmine the chance for some quiet time, away from the busy-ness and responsibilities, a place where Jasmine would be listened to and could let off steam. Jasmine found it useful to complete revision during some of her mentoring sessions in the lead up to her exams and felt reassured knowing Sarah was there for her over this stressful time.
I think it’s having my own space so I can actually process what’s going on because at school it can get overwhelming with exams and stuff, so then going out once every two weeks, it’s more I’m in my own space, I can just have that bit of time.
Jasmine
In the height of GCSE exam pressure, Jasmine’s worries about school were having an effect on her sleep and she was struggling to stay focused. Sarah’s consistent support helped to alleviate some of these difficulties for Jasmine.
I’m such an over-thinker, so I think Sarah helped me step back. I struggle to go to sleep at the moment because my brain is so switched on. I still get stressed, but having mentoring sessions, it kind of like relaxed me, so I’m not as tense.
Jasmine
Jasmine’s mum recognised how advantageous the sessions were as well over this tough period:
She seems more confident, a bit more relaxed when she comes back, she’s not so wound up. The fact that she’s had this has been a big help for her, helped her relax a bit over it, took her mind off it.
Jasmine’s Mum
Once the exams were over and Jasmine had finished secondary school, she and Sarah were able to get outside in warmer weather and enjoyed numerous walks, with Jasmine particularly enjoying taking Sarah’s dog out. They also went paddleboarding, pottery painting and out for a meal, all of which gave Jasmine opportunities to build and showcase her new found confidence and social skills in everyday settings.
Jasmine’s can-do attitude to new challenges went from strength to strength during the year. In the summer, with Sarah’s support, she volunteered to represent the Youth Adventure Trust at one of our events where she happily chatted and shared stories with people she didn’t know, and felt confident enough to share her bushcraft skills.
By the end of the mentoring year, Jasmine had started her studies at college and it was great to hear she was enjoying and thriving on her sports course. She was also throwing herself into extracurricular activities and was already playing for the college netball team and had taken on the role of Student Representative!
At our final review meeting with Jasmine and her family, her dad summed up her time with Sarah.
Since starting this and especially in the last 6 months, she’s come on leaps and bounds, she’s almost like a different person. She’s finding herself, she’s more confident in her skin and who she is as a person.
Jasmine’s Dad
We were lucky enough to see Jasmine again in November, when she volunteered once more and attended one of our fundraising events. Remarkably, she delivered a speech to a large audience, explaining to them how the Youth Adventure Trust Programmes had helped her – an impressive example of Jasmine’s willingness to take opportunities and keep challenging herself, something which she credits her time with the Youth Adventure Trust for.
I’ve got more confidence in myself and more belief in myself.
Jasmine
We’ll stay in touch with Jasmine and look forward to hearing about all she goes on to achieve, in what we’re sure will be a bright future.