Student Ambassador
The Prince's Trust

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Matthew C

0.00.00 I’m Matthew C. I’m currently at college doing a diploma in public services and I’m a young ambassador for the Prince’s Trust. I was 16 when I left school and I wasn’t a big achiever. I didn’t get the grades I predicted. Well I got bullied throughout school and I was scared to go to school in case the bullies were there and like so I didn’t go. I didn’t tell anyone.

0.00.30 I didn’t tell anyone I was scared in case like they found out that I told someone and come back to me even worse. So I just kept it to myself. I tried to commit suicide three times and like my mum stopped it like, and then like I got referred to a counsellor and anger management and then that boosted me up a bit more. My English teacher, Ms Lewis, she was lovely. She was, I could tell her anything and like she wouldn’t judge me or anything.

0.01.00 When I was down she like brought me back up, like made me smile, like telling me jokes and like just gave me moral support really. It knocked my confidence for a while and then when I started college I picked my confidence back up again because my tutor was saying I was doing some good work and getting the grades I deserve. The course that I’m doing is public service skills. You do fitness, you do citizenship, you do expedition skills as well, so like you’ve got the experience of doing the things that you do in a public service.

0.01.30 The course is a year which I finish in June and I hope to go into the Royal Navy. I wanted to be a fire-fighter to start with but then I learnt that in the Navy you can also, you also will be trained as a fire-fighter and cos my uncle was in the Armed Forces, I’m going to try and follow in his shoes. I was in the library doing some coursework and there was a man from the Princes Trust and he asked me if I wanted to join and then gave me a form and that to have a look at and then I rang him up and signed up for it.

0.02.00 To be a young ambassador it’s good because I can like voice my opinions across and like help other young people that have been in the situation I’ve been in. The Princes Trust, like gives you money to help you get into work, into a job or into education and I needed, I couldn’t afford the college uniform I needed and all the books and stuff, so they gave me a cheque for £55 to get all that I needed.

0.02.30 Both my parents are unemployed at the moment. My dad’s got something wrong with his back. My mum’s half blind. My parents have motivated me to get in like to the Navy, like they’ve encouraged me, they helped me fill my application form out and sent it out and they give me the bus fares to get to Wolverhampton and back, yeah, so they’re really boosting me. My nephew motivates me because I just want to be a role model to him all and I want him to be brought up in a good way so he doesn’t get bullied or he bullies anyone.

0.03.00 I just want him to be a good kid. I just want him to have a better childhood than I did and like I tell him if he’s got any problems or anything he can come to me all the time. I like dog showing. I’ve got a Staffordshire bull terrier which has qualified for Crufts. I’ve been doing it for about a year and a half now and we’ve won endless prizes. What I like the best about dog showing is the awards and all the praise you get and people coming up to you, shaking your hand and saying well done and all the attention.

0.03.30 I love the attention on me but yeah, it’s great. Teachers and family and friends, they all stood by me and like they encouraged me to stay alive really because there’s people out there who have been a lot, have been through a lot more than me, and they’re sticking it out so I was like why can’t I do it. So I’m still here, fighting strong, doing well for myself.

0.04.00

Matthew C is at college doing a diploma in public services. He’s also a Young Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust. He was bullied at school and tried to commit suicide three times. Now he helps other people who have been in a similar situation to him. He hopes to join the Royal Navy when he’s finished his course.

More information about Youth and community workers

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£28,600
average salary

The UK average salary is £29,813

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32
average weekly hours

There are 37.5 hours in the average working week

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25%  male 
75%  female 

The UK workforce is 47% female and 53% male

Future employment

Future employment?

Description
? Youth and community workers provide support to individuals or groups of individuals through a range of activities or services that aim to encourage participation in social and community life and promote personal and social development.
Qualifications
There are no formal academic entry requirements though a minimum age for appointment between 18 and 21 normally applies. Most qualified youth workers possess an accredited diploma in higher education or postgraduate diploma in youth and community work. A majority of qualifying courses are for people aged over 21 years of age. Background checks including a CRB check are likely to be required.
Tasks
  • Organises social, recreational and educational activities in local community and youth groups;
  • Undertakes the day-to-day running of community centres and supervises the activities of part-time and voluntary workers;
  • Liaises and supports voluntary workers running groups in village halls, churches, mosques and other places of worship;
  • Advises individuals with particular needs or problems through informal discussion, individual counselling or formal group discussion;
  • Helps set up credit unions, encourages parents to establish playgroups, works with other groups to find solutions to shared concerns or problems.
Employment by region
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Top 10 industries for this job
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Social work 31009
Health 16345
Residential care 10757
Membership organisations 9188
Public admin. & defence 7572
Services to buildings 2991
Education 2891
Veterinary 1578
Sport & recreation 1541
Employment activities 1009
Employment status
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