Lucy attended our 1-2-1 support sessions, where she was able to access the extra support she needed. She moved from isolation, risk and low confidence to building trust, opening up and taking steps towards a safer, more positive future.
👤About Lucy
Lucy came to us through her school at a point where things felt unsettled and fragile. She was experiencing low confidence, struggling with relationships at home and school, and her attendance was becoming increasingly inconsistent. Without support, she was at risk of disengaging from education altogether.
“When we first met, she kept her guard up. She didn’t always attend sessions, and when she did, she preferred to keep things light—often choosing to play Uno rather than talk. So we started there.” Lead Youth Worker
🤝 Creating a safe space
Initially, sessions focussed on building trust first. They were shaped around her pace, creating a space that felt consistent, safe and hers.
Over time, Lucy began to open up about feeling isolated and struggling with friendships. She described carrying a lot of anger and uncertainty about her direction:
“My heart feels like a smashed window.”
She wanted to take a positive path but felt pulled in another direction. As trust grew, she shared that she had been self‑harming. Together, we created a safety plan and connected her into wider support, ensuring she wasn’t facing this alone.
✨ What changed
From there, sessions focused on what mattered most to her—exploring mental health, relationships, consent, social media and conflict. Lucy reflected on her experiences, tested new ways of responding and began to build confidence. What had started as a space to sit quietly became somewhere she could speak openly and feel heard:
“I can speak freely to you—it’s good knowing I have someone I can open up to.”
By the end of the programme, Lucy was more confident, more open and better able to make sense of what she was experiencing. She described the relationship as something new in her life:
“I loved working with Ellie… you’re one of the only people I’ve been able to trust like this.”
🧭 What This Makes Possible
Change didn’t happen all at once—it grew through a relationship Lucy chose to trust. Consistent, reliable spaces and people are crucial to help young people open up, test new ways of responding and make sense of what they’re was navigating. Trusted relationships act as a catalyst for change: creating the safety young people need to move from holding things in to working things through, building the confidence and understanding to shape their own path forward.
