Saif’s story: “I liked the Youth Zone so much I wanted to give back in some way.”

Meet Saif, a 17-year-old member from Wigan Youth Zone. Here’s Saif’s story of how the Youth Zone has supported him with learning valuable life skills, and how his experience of being a Young Leader helped him find work in a primary school. 

Saif’s story

“I didn’t use to live in the UK. I moved here in November 2020. I didn’t know what a Youth Zone was. I’d passed by it multiple times when I moved to Wigan, and I thought that’s not a place for me. Going in there, meeting everyone in the rec area, they are the nicest people. I wasn’t expecting as much kindness. From there I found so many different rooms to try, like the sports hall, the enterprise room and dance studio where I’ve learnt to express myself, which has helped me be more confident about my body.

Right now, I live alone with my brother, so the enterprise room has helped me with how to manage money and how to build a business. I liked the Youth Zone so much I wanted to give back in some way. My experience just kept getting better as I became part of Youth Voice and a Young Leader at the Youth Zone. Being a Young Leader gave me essential experience that from it I got a job in a primary school as a teaching assistant. I don’t think I would have gotten that job if I was not a Young Leader.”