Returning to education after the pandemic was overwhelming for Shauna, 19, who completed her GCSEs in throes of the Covid19 lockdown.
Shauna who lives in rural Consett, County Durham, applied to college and started a Travel and Tourism qualification as her friends were enrolled on the course. Soon afterwards she realised it wasn’t the right fit for her.
She said, “Because I had missed that much school, I don’t know whether it was nerves, anxiety or I didn’t like being back in a classroom. I didn’t know how to manage it.”
Finding her vocation
Shauna then discovered an opportunity with local charity, Building Self-Belief CIO, and began to work on youth and community projects. It was a game changer, as she found her vocation for working with young people and her confidence grew.
Shauna, 19
“I wanted to get involved in the project planning and be able to voice my opinion,” she said
When an opportunity came up to apply for a ‘Warm Spaces’ grant Shauna came up with the idea of delivering a programme of arts and crafts sessions for young people providing them not only with a warm space to go, but a chance to make new friends and express themselves through creative activities.
The club is now a popular choice for young people in the surrounding areas, which fall within the top 20% most deprived postcodes nationally.
In fact, demand has meant that Shauna has been asked to deliver two additional sessions every week.
Shauna explained, “I really found my love of youth work. And there was a need. We applied for more funding to re-start the weekly youth sessions and now they are running all year.”
Shauna has since led the creation of a community garden next to Benfieldside Primary School, in Consett and is providing outdoor youth enrichment and environmental projects from the space.
Peter Thomas, Building Self-Belief CIO founder, and Christine Thomas, Chief Executive, saw Shauna’s capabilities and encouraged her to apply for a Level 6 apprenticeship in Youth Work, accessing the NatWest Levy scheme to fully fund Shauna’s university course fees.
Shauna explained, “They want to keep us in the charity, and they want young people’s perspectives on things.”
Now in her first year on the Community and Youth Work integrated-degree apprenticeship at the University of Sunderland, Shauna explained:
“Without the charity, I wouldn’t have done a degree. I just never thought I had it in me. It was the charity that supported me to believe I could do something like this.”
Having a voice
As the youngest person on the course, she enjoys hearing opinions from those with different jobs and of varying ages.
Shauna feels the apprenticeship is a good fit for her as she can study at times that suit her. She also enjoys contributing to discussions at university.
“As a young person, my voice matters. In discussions after lectures, my peers actively listen to my opinions. And I’m proud to be able to contribute in this way.”
Last year Shauna won the prestigious title of ‘Youth Worker of the Year’ at the NE Youth Impact Awards 2024, nominated by Peter for her amazing efforts:
She said “It felt like an amazing accomplishment. I’ve proven so much to myself.”
“I did a panel talk at Durham Town Hall recently. If you’d told me, I was going to do that at the start of my apprenticeship I would have said you were crazy! I think going to university has given me confidence to get up and speak in front of people.”
Once Shauna qualifies, she’d like to lead the charity’s 12-week wellbeing programme with schools.
Shauna supports two foster children at the youth club and one of the children won’t leave the house without their carer. But he always wants to come to the youth club by himself. Their carer sent a thank you message to Shauna.
She said, “That is exactly what makes it worth it. Youth work is the difference because I think it’s the start of something that can have an effect on a young person for the rest of their life.”
