NEWS
Life-changing - Johnathon Gallagher says he owes everything to the Prince ’ s Trust Team programme .
“ If you are willing to put the hard work in there are people who will help and support you .”
Middlesbrough is living with his young family in London where he is the head of community safety for the London Borough of Islington .
A big job , his role is to tackle tough issues such as serious youth violence , counter terrorism , gang culture and violence against women and girls .
Still keen to help others , he says , for him the fundamentals of the job are the same . He explains : “ You are working with people , offering support and ultimately helping them to make their lives better .”
There ’ s no doubt he has come a long way from the 19-year-old who , after plans for a career in professional football had come to an end , found himself without a clear direction .
It was after getting involved in a fight and being given community service that his probation officer suggested he sign up to The Prince ’ s Trust Team programme .
Johnathon recalls : “ I think he knew that I was someone who had made a mistake and that I was genuinely sorry for it .”
For him , like so many others , it was a chance to prove himself , and to show his commitment and desire to work towards something better .
The daily round trip on public transport from his home in Coulby Newham to the Team room in Darlington alone was testament to his dedication .
Inspired and motivated by all he saw and learned on the course , Johnathon went on to become a volunteer for the programme , before securing a job as a Prince ’ s Trust team assistant and then team leader working for the college .
Eventually moving on to a regional manager ’ s job with The Prince ’ s Trust in London , he said : “ In that time I must have helped 700 young people get back into education , work or training .”
That is the ultimate aim of what they do , says Gillian , the Etc .’ s head of department for The Prince ’ s Trust . Bringing together young people from all different walks of life , she and the team have seen so many , including Johnathon , make massive changes .
“ Of course , you can ’ t win them all ,” she says . But with approximately 80 per cent of those young people going on to employment , further education or training , and many more picking up new life skills and an improved sense of purpose and self-worth , there ’ s plenty to celebrate .
And the Etc . Prince ’ s Trust staff were shown just how special their achievements are recently when they were named Further Education Team of the Year at the Pearson National Teaching Awards .
Gillian says : “ To put that into context , it is the equivalent of the Oscars for education , with just 14 national gold
awards up for grabs .”
Their win was announced live on BBC ’ s The One Show and they will soon be heading to a glittering ceremony in London to mark the occasion .
To learn they are gold standard comes as no surprise to former student Johnathon . “ All these years later the elements of the course are still ingrained in my mind ,” he reflects . “ It was incredible and teaches you skills you need for life .”
Happy to share his own experiences , he adds : “ I have no shame talking about my mistakes today , as I am proud of the distance I have travelled . I have learned that success is not about the job title or the car you drive , it is measurable by how far you have come as a person .
“ With a supportive family and a nice home , the course made me appreciate just how fortunate I was , and that is part of what inspired and motivated me to want to go on and help others .”
The Prince ’ s Trust Team programme is a 12-week personal development course that offers unemployed young people age 16 to 25 the opportunity to learn new skills by working on a range of hands-on tasks and challenges , including work experience , an adventure residential and a community project .
Etc . currently delivers courses at Stockton Riverside College , Redcar and Cleveland College , Middlesbrough , Darlington , Bishop Auckland and Catterick .
To find out more or get involved visit stockton . ac . uk / princes-trust or call 01642 865566 .
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