Troubled teens given a new hope

Young people with their certificates alongside mentors, staff, trustees and last year's mayor Councillor Robin Parker.

Young people are often struggling to find their way in the adult world. For some, a troubled background of drugs, violence and sex, can see them snowball into disaster.  But how easy is it to turn over a new leaf? Rochdale Online reporter Kirsty Rigg talks with Rochdale Connections Trust about some of their heart-wrenching success stories….

A troubled youngster is, to many, a nuisance who is likely to commit minor crimes. But for the charity workers at Rochdale Connections Trust, they are victims of unfortunate events who deserve a chance to change.

An alarming number of young people get beaten up by their parents and siblings, and are surrounded by drugs and alcohol from an early age, often leading to them taking up the habit themselves.

RCT has been successful in helping over 1,500 young people who were desperate to get their lives back on track, to get into education, training or work.

Volunteer ‘mentors’ are recruited who work on a one-to-one basis with a young person, and can be anything from a shoulder to cry on to a friend to share a trip to the lake.

Kathy Thomas, Chief Executive of Rochdale Connections Trust, is calling out for more volunteers to come forward, to be a part of the success.

She said: “The mentor system works so well, mostly because they are volunteers, and it makes a difference when somebody chooses to be there off their own back.

“We hope to gather as many mentors as possible who would be happy to spare the time, and we will never turn anyone away.

“All we ask is that they are 21 years old or over.”

She added: “Being a mentor just means you are there for someone.

“One young girl was from a very large family of younger siblings, and she liked to escape to Hollingworth Lake and just look at the water.

“That was her time to be peaceful, and if she chose to, she could talk to her mentor about anything that was troubling her.

“Another liked to go the chip shop and talk over a bag of chips. They are small things that make a big difference. What matters’ is that person feeling wanted – somebody is spending time with them because they want to, not because they are being paid to.”

Over the past 10 years, the charity has helped 1,500 young people who were desperate to get away from their situations, some being beaten up by their parents, some dealing with drugs and alcohol problems.

About 80% of referrals turn out to have a mental health problem, which can be circumstantial after a chain of traumatic events.

One anonymous girl said: “I am 15 and I have trouble with my family at home. My brother is always beating me up, my sister calls me names and my mum just shouts all the time.

“My dad’s not here because he is locked up. And there’s my baby brother who’s normal and really cute.

“I got transferred to RCT because I used to get upset, and I’d go for meetings with my Connection’s worker at school.

“RCT has changed my life because instead of being depressed all the time, I feel happy.”

Would you like to volunteer? Contact RCT on 01706 345111, or visit:

http://www.r-c-t.co.uk/