Nathan

Nathan is a young person from Birmingham who first took part in Envision during secondary school, but found it challenging to contribute. When the opportunity came up to join the programme again at his college, he saw it as a second chance to build his confidence and develop his skills.

What motivated you to join the Envision programme again in college?

“I wanted to develop my skills even further and be able to put this on my CV to help me get a job when I leave college. I did Envision before in secondary school, but back then I struggled a lot. I wasn’t contributing much because I didn’t know what to say. This time, I’ve definitely seen improvements.”

What was your main goal this time around?

“To interact with more people and to develop my skills as much as I can. I do think I’ve achieved that, especially with communication. I’ve become more open to sharing my ideas in class, and I’ve been chattier and more willing to speak in sessions.”

Can you share a moment where you really felt your progress?

“The final presentation. I had to do the introduction and the ending. I was very nervous, but once I did it I felt really happy with myself. I was surprised and pleased that I didn’t mess up at all. Before the Final, I really wanted to learn my lines so I wouldn’t need the script on stage. I practiced many times, especially my pronunciation. I used to say “q-munication” instead of “communication,” so I worked on that with my mum.”

Tell us about your project. What was your idea, and how did it evolve?

“Originally, we wanted to run a wellbeing session with fun activities, but that didn’t happen. So, we worked on wellbeing bags instead. I think this was a better idea because when we handed them out, people were really happy and even wanted another one. We got some really positive feedback on our surveys.”

What was it like visiting your mentors’ office, especially since you missed that experience in secondary school due to Covid?

“It felt amazing. The mentor’s office was very fancy and nice in general. The mentors were friendly and supportive to speak to. When our team was struggling, one of the mentors gave us an idea. We built on that idea and came up with more from it. That really helped us move forward.”

Looking back, what do you think you’ve gained from Envision?

“The skills I’ve developed in Envision will help me overall with anything. I’ll be able to present more clearly and more efficiently. If someone asked me to do another presentation, I’d feel a little more confident, though I’d still be scared. But it’s a bit easier now.”

After completing the programme, Nathan returned to Envision as an EDI intern, taking on a work experience placement that allowed him to continue building his skills and get involved internally at Envision. We are incredibly proud of everything he’s achieved so far, and we can’t wait to see what he does next.