Emily

This is the story of Emily’s Envision journey. Emily and her team worked together on a project that aimed to bring attention to the lived experiences of young carers in their school. They hosted a raising awareness day that included information boards, slideshows, ribbons and a hand-written prayer.  

Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your interests?  

My name is Emily, I love English and Dance. I joined Envision as it was an opportunity to work as a team and to gain more confidence when speaking to a range of audiences. 

Which of the Essential Skills have you developed the most? 

Probably communication. Before I joined the programme, I was really shy but Envision gave me the opportunity to share my ideas with a team. Particularly when discussing the importance of the ribbons that we made as I was able to express my views on why they were important as well the meaning behind them.  

How was your experience working with the mentors?

It was quite scary at first because it was new, but as we got to know them, we were able to get comfortable working with them. The mentors gave us constructive feedback that we used throughout the programme. Working with the mentors gave us insight into what an adult thought about our project, when we first pitched our ideas to them, they seemed to really like it and that gave us the confidence to stick with our project plans.  

What’s the best piece of advice that a mentor shared with you?

The best piece of advice that I was given by a mentor was to help me when I get nervous about speaking to new people. I was told to imagine that my audience were my friends and family members to help myself stay calm.  

How do you think the skills that you have developed on the Envision programme will help you in the future? 

This will allow me to go into meetings with other people and be more confident in myself, it’s also helped me to be less nervous and fidgety when speaking. By developing my Determination, Envision has taught me to keep pushing myself to do things that I wouldn’t normally do.  

The skills have also helped to encourage me to apply for work experience opportunities, this is something that I have been anxious about but now I’ve built up the confidence to be able to call up a school and ask for a placement.  

Are there any final thoughts or reflections that you’d like to share?  

I feel like really I’ve developed my character. Envision has allowed me to put myself out there in a way that I wouldn’t usually do. My family has been really supportive of me on this journey, and so have my teachers and our Programme Coordinator, Remi, so thank you!