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Youth work has the power to shape lives, and we want to hear how it shaped yours.
Tell us about the youth work experiences that made a difference to you, or a youth worker who believed in you, encouraged you or opened up new opportunities.
Share your story as part of #YouthWorkMadeMe and help us show the lasting impact of youth work.
The impact of youth work can last a lifetime.
Read stories from people sharing the lasting impact youth work has had on their lives.
“Youth work made me realise that life was worth living."
I’m Alex. I was a member at The Hive as part of the Young People’s Development Group from 2015. I wasn’t a very confident person when I first joined the Youth Zone, I really did struggle with my mental health and the support that I got from the team back then was amazing.
I lost my dad when I was very young and hadn’t really grieved for him. I kind of went into survival mode. John [youth worker] really supported me throughout my grieving journey. The Hive allowed me to have that space to feel. At the same time, John really reminded me that I still deserve to have my life going forward.
When I did speeches or if I was speaking to people, I always used to say that The Hive saved me. Now I’ve grown and I’ve kind of reflected on my journey, I’ve realised they didn’t save me, they empowered me to save myself.
Everything happens for a reason. I do strongly believe that and the whole butterfly effect. If I wasn’t in the right place at the right time, I probably wouldn’t have met my best friend, I wouldn’t have met the team here. That’s a crazy thing to think.
"Youth work shaped me as a person."
I’m Olivia and I am currently a youth worker in baking at Inspire Youth Zone, but before then I was actually a member. When I first started, I want to say I wasn’t in with the right crowd. Obviously it [the Youth Zone] was really new the use, so I didn’t know whether to come in or not.
For me, it really saved me coming into the Youth Zone when I did because I had a lot going on at home. I had a dad who struggled with an addiction. Coming here was like a little bit of an escape, it was coming back into a safe space. At first it was really unusual and I struggled to trust people, and opening up was really hard.
As soon as I came into the Youth Zone and saw the faces and how welcoming they were, and how you could just trust them. It just made me want to keep coming and to open up more and more. I built a good friendship with some of the staff members who made you feel really safe.
"Youth work made me independent."
My name is Alfie and I’m a youth worker at inspire, I was very lucky, I stumbled across Inspire probably around eight years ago now. I was 14 years old and at the time I was really struggling at school with my mental health and the loss of my auntie. I was really in a tough place of not knowing what I wanted to do.
I remember attending inspire with one of my friends, and at first, it was very much a shock of ‘wow, this is busy’.
But I soon found my place, trying out different areas. Once I managed to find my feet I was coming day in, day out to access the support services, speak to the youth workers, and really just connect with other people to get me out of the house.
I never found Inspire, Inspire found me. They kind of met me where I was. I was really struggling but instantly when I came through the door, they found me straight away and they were able to give me the right support at the time through counselling and through different services. They were all there for me.
“Youth work made me resilient and made me feel able.”
I’m Kashmire, I am currently in regional government working as an admin at the West Midlands Combined Authority. My connection to The Way, and OnSide is that I had the great joy of being a part of the Young People’s Personal Development Group, and was then a member for about a year and a half.
Everybody here was just super friendly. Myself being openly autistic, meant obviously sometimes I needed somebody to talk to. Being a teenager who was becoming a young adult, that was an enormously busy and a really important part of my development and my life. So obviously, being able to engage with these youth workers and here really, felt really important and was incredibly valuable to my development.
The one thing that I think it certainly built up was my resilience. In many people’s cases coming to places like this [The Way] and being involved in youth work has been life changing. It opens up doors and it builds young people’s resilience.
“Youth work made me realise there was so much more ahead of me."
I’m Molly, I’m 23 years old, and I’ve been a part of The Hive since the day opened.
I remember coming into The Hive on the first day and you literally couldn’t see the building because there were that many people inside.
From 2017 to 2022, I lived and breathed to this place, I was here seven days a week.
Whether it was rehearsals for Edge of 17, which was our vocal group, or I was volunteering as a young leader on the junior sessions, or being a young person myself, I was here every single day.
The Hive was like my safe place and my second home. Everyone in the Youth Zone was like a family. I knew I could come in here feeling anything and would have someone who I could go to. I’ve seen firsthand what you’ve workers do and the impact they have for the young people. And I always said, I want to go back and do that for the younger generation, which I now do by volunteering at the Youth Zone.
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