Youth Unemployment - Nicole’s Story
“I felt so hopeless and worthless, I was like ‘What do I do now because I'll never amount to anything?”
Tackling youth unemployment is one of Love Your Neighbour’s key priorities in our mission to address some of the root causes of poverty in our society. Nicole dropped out of school having developed severe depression, and later attempted suicide. Upon leaving hospital in November 2020, she was referred to one of our partner charities, Resurgo, to take part in the Spear Programme. She shares her story here:
“I grew up in Islington with my parents and my little brother. Home life was quite a struggle because my dad was an alcoholic. I never really had friends in school. I never really had a place. I ended up developing severe depression. I felt so hopeless and worthless, I was like ‘What do I do now because I'll never amount to anything?’
I just did what my mum told me to do and just went to do A-levels; hopefully that will take me somewhere? And a year later I was sitting there and thinking ‘What is the point?’
I attempted suicide in year 12. I was in hospital for a few months, and I dropped out of school. While I was there, and I got a phone call from Islington Council. They told me about Spear, so in November, I started with Spear Islington over Zoom for six weeks.
It took so much courage just to get on that Zoom call. I think just the idea of six weeks of Zoom calls every day where you sit down and talk about yourself. I mean, that kind of idea was just a bit like, it's not my alley. But once you settle into it, you realise that it's more than just that.
The coaches were really friendly and active. There were two or three of them spread between 10 people, so there was a lot of hands-on one-to-one experience, I gained a lot of self-esteem from there, and it opened me up to a whole new world of employment.
“I gained a lot of self-esteem from there, and it opened me up to a whole new world of employment.”
During the interview week, I went for this interview, and they let me know a week later that I was successful and I got the job, a job in telecoms. They put me on the training course and you learn all the science behind it, and it's just completely mind-blowing. I've picked things up really quickly and alongside the training, you kind of realise how much of an impact you're making.
After Spear, I'm actually a completely different person. I feel like what I am matters. And it's not just an empty voice in a corridor. It's life-changing. You can't put a price on things like this. It is going to change a lot of people's lives in the future, as it's done in the past. Spear in general, I think reminds you that you do have a place in the world and in society.”
“Spear in general, I think reminds you that you do have a place in the world and in society.”
Love Your Neighbour Hubs and Churches across the country are partnering with Resurgo to tackle youth unemployment.
If you are a church with a vision to support the young people in your community, why not find out more about running the Spear Programme by sending an email to jessie.smart@resurgo.org.uk.
If you know a young person who is struggling to find employment or take the next step with their education, the Spear Programme is here to help them. Find out more, including where your nearest Spear Centre is.
