Jule’s Journey begins at just 13 years old. Jules had left mainstream education, opting to be electively home educated after dropping out in Year 8. Towards the end of Year 11, she made the brave decision to return to school to attempt her GCSEs. When she joined the Invest in Youth programme we delivered as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). One of the key outcomes was to support young people into employment — and we saw an opportunity to use the money we would get, and offer it Jules in her first paid role, providing her with a few hours of work each week.

With our support, Jules not only got a job, but also secured a place into further education, on a sports course at Preston College, and grew in confidence, improved her mental health, and began to build a positive future for herself.

As part of her role with us, Jules helped shape our Guild Get Together event. She took the lead on choosing activities, delivered one of the workshops herself, helped market the project, and even selected one of the charities we raised money for. Her leadership and creativity were already beginning to shine through.

However, as she started college, Jules’ interest in work understandably waned. College life was exciting to begin with, but proved challenging; the environment and experiences of bullying began to take a toll on her mental health. Recognising that traditional education wasn’t the right fit for her, Jules made the courageous decision to leave college and join us on a more permanent basis — realising her true passion lay in using her own experiences to help others.

Since making that decision, Jules has gone from strength to strength. She is now preparing to lead her first independent project: co-creating a mental health booklet with pupils at her former primary school, designed to equip young people with tools to manage life’s challenges. Jules will be leading her own team, marketing the project, designing and delivering the workshops, and showcasing the final booklet at a local festival which last year attracted over 47,000 attendees.

At just 16, Jules is already a force of nature. Her ability to speak openly about her experiences, to present confidently in public, and to inspire others with her story is nothing short of remarkable.

Jule’s Journey is a testament to what can happen when a young person is given the time, care, and belief they deserve.

Imagine what we could achieve if every young person received this level of support.