Yasmin

Changing your own life, helping others change theirs. One young woman’s story.

“In January 2005 I was 17 years old and was homeless and penniless, life wasn’t going to plan and was not treating me well at all and I was frustrated, hurt and bitter at the whole situation that I was in. Taking my anger out on the world I was ready to fight everyone if they so much as raised an eyebrow at me!

At about that time I was looking to get back into college but couldn’t as all the courses were coming to an end and restarted in September, so I visited a Connexions to get some advice, that’s where I heard about Leap Confronting Conflict. Some Young People had gone to that centre and had ran a workshop for the young people there, and she loved the whole project and the staff that had come so she gave me a flyer which caught my interest as soon as I saw 11 weeks and A level in the same sentence!

I started the course in February and at the risk of sounding cheesy that’s when things started to change!

When I first started Quarrel Shop I was shy and my self esteem wasn’t all that high, I became nervous, started blushing and would sometimes stutter when I had to speak in front of a large group of people. The trainers saw this and were always supporting and encouraging me, so I started to feel safe and started to speak my mind. All the conflicts I was in at that time I started sharing with the group and I was so surprised when people identified what I was going thru as they had been thru it or were in a similar situation as me! I gradually started to gain confidence and was becoming less nervous.

At the end of Quarrel Shop, I was the first to get up and speak, so much so I was asked to give others a chance to talk! I had run two workshops for Young People and had spoken in two conferences that Leap had to attend and met one of my best friends there!!! I passed the Course and gained my A level!

Quarrel Shop showed me ways with dealing with my anger. From getting so wound up and angry I started managing my emotions and found ways to let off my steam, thru articulating how I was feeling in an ‘I statement’ and identifying what was ticking me off and then trying to prevent it from happening. I started getting it together.

I became a volunteer after I finished, I loved the work so much and would come and help run the odd workshops here and there when I was needed…I loved it. I volunteered on the next Quarrel Shop and it was so different seeing it from a trainer’s point of view, so much time, effort and work was put into the course!

At this time I still became slightly nervous when I had to do workshops but as the sessions rolled by I started refining my skills and found my own way and style in delivering the sessions. I became comfortable in my own skin and my self esteem and confidence were reaching new heights!

I had applied for the post of Youth Development Worker a couple months before but the organisation had felt that I needed a little more time to gain some more experience so when I was approached with an offer to take up the post, I felt so privileged as I felt that I had finally achieved something good!

I started the post in July 2006 and again there was such a marked change in me again, I became efficient in organising sessions and undertaking the work where as before I would be unsure of my self and would always ask for someone else’s opinion. I took it all on and threw myself into the work, now I can calmly and happily start a session without the worry if what I am doing is right and can run any exercise or game without the fear that it might go wrong because I know I’m ready and prepared to handle the unexpected! I can organise and facilitate workshops with any set of Young People and do it with ease and confidence I can handle the admin side of it as well as the practical!

It’s now 2 years on from when I first applied to do Quarrel Shop and look how far I have come……

I’m 19 years old, am a Youth Development Worker for Leap Confronting Conflict, I earn a living doing what I love and I am helping Young People who are going thru what I went thru 2 years ago. I’m trying to help them make a difference in their lives and see that there is so many more ways to deal with the madness that life throws at them and I am making a change.

Leap has seen me grow up and go thru it all and have supported me right from the start, from being an angry and shy young person who was ready to fight everyone, to a confident and able Young woman who is ready to support others.

That’s a long way huh!!”

Yasmin has now progressed from working as a Youth Development Worker for Leap, and works for the organisation as a freelance trainer.

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