When Caitlin found herself at a crossroads in her education, she knew she needed to take a different path. She wanted to be able to make a difference while getting real-life experience.
Passionate about working with young people, Caitlin, 20, had always wanted to be a youth justice officer.
“I’ve always wanted to work in youth justice,” she said. “Helping young people who are involved in crime or at risk of it, giving them a second chance, helping them move forward, I’ve got huge empathy for that.”
She explained she had started college courses in health and social care and forensics but couldn’t afford to complete them.
“I felt stuck, and I didn’t know what to do afterwards,” she said. “I decided I needed a new route that wasn’t just education.”
From here, she joined Inspire’s Thrive programme and started working alongside personal development coach Mollie.
They explored the different routes to reach her goals, and got her a volunteering role in a local school as a learning support assistant. This also led into paid work as an exam invigilator.
She also signed up for the Youth Work Academy, a two-week introductory course open to anyone aged 16 to 60 from a partnership between Inspire and Lofty Heights.
The course offered an accessible route into youth work, giving participants a recognised qualification and first-hand insight into the sector.
She continued: “I thought I could do the course alongside my volunteering. I’m also volunteering at Inspire’s Youth Hub in Ipswich, and I’ve been out doing detached youth work too, going out, speaking with young people, making sure they’re safe, and helping keep them away from trouble.”
Through her determination, Caitlin is now on her way to a career in youth justice.
“Inspire has helped me a lot,” she added. “It’s just a really good charity for young people.”
Find out more about Thrive here.
Also read: ‘Before Inspire I felt stuck, now I’m in my dream job’
