Meet our humanutopia apprentice heroes

I moved to this country when I was 10 years old, and by then I’d lived in 12 different countries. There were moments when I was not with my family or people that I really cared about. And that really makes me feel quite vulnerable, and it makes me feel really down about myself at times.

I first humanutopia when I was in year 10, and I never thought sort of when I joined the heroes journey, and I took up hero training that this would actually be a job that I’d have. And I sort of went through school, and I went through A levels, with the complete intention to go to university. Just because I was academic, so it was kind of what was expected of me. I got the opportunity to do the Camp Ambassador role during the summer, and I realised that actually this was something that I was much more passionate about.

I absolutely loved working with young people, and just wanted to be a role model for them, but I didn’t know how to do that in the school environment. And so, they put the trust in me, and I just grew stronger and stronger.

Humanutopia broke down all those barriers. Got speaking to family a bit more. Solved all my issues back at home, and it just made for a happier environment.

When humanutopia came into my school, I was in year 12. And I knew I was ready for change, and I knew I was ready to be the person that I wanted to be. But I wasn’t really entirely sure how to be that person. When I went to university, I realised that it wasn’t for me. I then ended up applying for the apprenticeship to be a facilitator – almost 2 years ago. And I ended up getting the job, and the job has been everything I’ve expected and even more. And it’s just really helped me grow as a person.

humanutopia changed my life, because it gave me a confidence back that I’d lost as I was growing up. It gave me back my good friendships. It gave me back all the relationships that I’d sort of let slip away. It’s just made life so much happier. It’s given me hope.

I’ve learnt to believe in people more – and have the confidence that young people can achieve anything if they put their mind to it, with helping young people out. It’s managed to help me.

I’ve learnt so much, but definitely how difficult it can be to be a young person at this moment in time. But equally on the flip side, how strong young people are.

One of the biggest things I’ve learnt is that young people have the ability to do absolutely amazing things, when given the chance. And I think they’re not given a chance often enough.

Working in so many different schools, and going in and – you hear something, and you think it’s going to be a certain way. But going in and thinking, “Goodness me, this school is just something else.”

One of my biggest achievements is to work with a group of heroes in my old high school. Helping those people grow. It’s incredible.

I think one of my biggest achievements has partially been just everyday getting to do something that I never really expected I’d be able to do. And I think being able to overcome that initial belief that it wasn’t something I’d be able to do. Another massive highlight has just been getting to know the team, and feeling so accepted in a group of people that are just so incredible – and spending time with them.

We’re like a family, we’re so close knit now that we can just do anything together and it’ll just work.

Just all the kind of doors I think that this job has unlocked. I’m getting to meet new people that I’d never have spoken to if it weren’t for the fact that this is what I do. So there has definitely been some highlights.

You can’t have any preconceptions about what you think you’ll be doing in your role here. It’s so diverse, and the amount of people you meet means that every single day you work will be completely different to the last – or to any job you’ve had before.