The Building Bridges team is very pleased to be able to share another uplifting story of collaboration, passion and encouragement bringing great results…

Sam* was referred to Building Bridges by the Family Support Worker Team in the summer of 2020, as he was looking to move back into education after a bad experience in the past. Sam also wanted to upskill his Maths and English. Sam has ADHD and can get easily distracted.

Through close liaison with Sam’s social worker, a member of the Building Bridges team had a couple of permitted face-to-face meetings, observing Covid-19 guidance at that time, to meet with Sam, get him engaged with the programme and explore the next steps.

Removing all distractions, Sam engaged fully, offering insights into his passion and what he would like to explore. It became clear that Sam really wanted to go back to college, so we explored options and came to the decision that Get Ahead would be a good first step to get back into college, due to past difficulties.

Once a referral was passed to Get Ahead, Sam was given another chance to engage at college. He has exceeded everyone’s expectations and has shown that he is willing to learn.

Working closely with his social worker and Get Ahead, Sam has reached the point where he is likely to complete his Functional Maths and English earlier than expected. Sam is also in a better position to find employment and further explore his education aspirations with the help of resources provided by Building Bridges and Get Ahead.

Sam has challenged people’s viewpoints and shown that when given a second chance, you really can show your passion to want to succeed. His confidence and social skills have improved as a result of getting back into college.

If you want to know more about the programme or submit a request for support, Building Bridges SSW

*any names and identifying details have been altered.