Cristian’s Story
How our Thrive programme helped one young person rebuild confidence and return to education.
Cristian was referred to us through the Thrive programme. When we first met him, it was clear he was finding things tough and struggling to believe in himself. He had tried college before, but it just hadn’t worked out for him.
On paper, Cristian was very bright. He had done well in his GCSEs and had a lot of potential, but he simply couldn’t see it for himself. His Employment and Personal Development Coach took things one step at a time, building his confidence, exploring what he enjoyed, and helping him get a clearer sense of direction.
After a few sessions, his coach took him to visit Suffolk One Sixth Form College. They had a look around, met some of the staff, and afterwards Cristian said he really liked the atmosphere there (or the “vibe”, as he put it!). It was the turning point for him. Together, they applied for a place on the Game Design and A Level Maths courses, and he was accepted to start in September.
Over the summer, he continued to build on the progress, meeting his coach and focusing on small confidence-building goals to prepare for the transition. Little by little, he started to open up, showing signs like laughing, talking about the future, and gradually believing in himself again.
A few weeks into term, his coach saw a noticeable change. Cristian was smiling, talking about his course, and genuinely loving it. The shift from feeling lost to feeling hopeful was astounding and shows why being able to provide this support for young people through Thrive matters.
Cristian is now settled at college, studying subjects he enjoys and feeling positive about what’s ahead. For him, small steady steps, taken alongside someone who really believed in him made the world of difference.
