Prudence Trust Project
The Prudence Trust Project here at Legacy Youth Zone is all about providing young people with the access to a wellbeing youth worker. Here at Legacy we pride ourselves on the work that we provide our young people with when it comes to their wellbeing.
“When my brother Mohamed and I came to Legacy last year in March 2023, everything felt so new and overwhelming. We had just moved to Croydon, and we barely spoke any English. It was really hard at first, but we were determined to do our best and improve and I’m so proud of how far we’ve come since then.
At the beginning, learning English was a huge challenge. But instead of letting it stop us, Mohamed and I decided to see it as a chance to grow. Everyone at Legacy was so supportive, and it made such a big difference. When we first walked into the library at Legacy, we asked if we could get English lessons. Miss Rose, a youth worker here, was really kind and introduced us to Patrica, a volunteer who has now worked with us a lot. Patrica made learning fun and has aways helped us feel comfortable. I’ll never forget how a random cooking show we both watched got us talking more—it was such a small thing, but it helped me feel more confident speaking English.
Through our regular conversations with Patrica, over time mine and my brother’s speech improved so much that we were able to have conversations and make friends with other young people around the youth zone. The youth workers would always notice our hard work and I even ended up winning a Jack Petchey Award for my commitment and perseverance. Winning that award was one of the best moments for me since moving here, as it showed that all my hard work was paying off and gave me even more motivation to keep going.
When we are not in the Library, I love joining in with all the sports that they offer at Legacy, especially the football. I use it as a way to way to relax and keep active, and I’ve made lots of friends out on the MUGA whilst playing.
When we first started at Legacy, we weren’t even enrolled in school yet, so the youth zone became our main place to learn and progress. Patrica didn’t just help us with English; she also showed us how to participate in discussions and really enjoy learning. When we both eventually started school, I felt much more confident to share my thoughts and voice my opinions in class.
This year, I’ve been doing really well with my studies and was so excited to share my latest report with the youth workers that had helped me at Legacy. My latest results showed all good grades, and there were no concerns, which made me so happy! I’ve been working hard on my GCSE mocks, and my dream is to become a doctor someday.
My brother Mohamed is doing great too. He’s 18 now and studying in college. He is working as a waiter at a restaurant and doing really well and wants to be a chef one day. I know he’ll get there because he’s so passionate about it and feels so motivated.
When I look back at my first year here in Croydon, Legacy has been such a big part of me and Mohamed becoming settled and more confident in our new home and I’m so grateful for the relationships and support Legacy has given me.