Liam

“School. Yeah, I never did really well at school. I failed miserably at school, then obviously I went to college and got my head down, got some qualifications, gone to college. Suffered with depression and then got into trouble and overcame that by cutting a few people out of my life. Then went back to college, got a few qualifications and went to Porchlight. My life went from a downward spiral to much happier things.

My granddad is always very encouraging and has always been there for me whatever, no matter what. I always look up to him, he’s my idol, sort of thing. He fought during the war and has seen things no one should have seen. He knows what I’ve been through. When I was 15, I lost my friend and I went off the rails completely. And my granddad was there for me because he knows what its like to lose someone close to you. He’s seen things, he lost family like his brother — he knows the same situations I was in.

Obviously, I’ve got ADHD. I used to lash out and do things that weren’t normal. Used to get into fights, take drugs, all sorts of stuff. When I was 15 I had drugs on me and then they started to kick me out because they couldn’t handle me, even though it was a specialised school. It was at college that I knuckled down completely because I wanted to do my family proud and do things differently. It wasn’t the way I wanted my life to be.

I wanted to do my family proud — I woke up one morning and I realised I couldn’t keep going on doing the things I was doing. I wanted to get something from my life and do things for myself. Live on my own, get qualifications, get jobs, work with kids. I’m one step closer while living with Porchlight - they helped me out. I’m one step closer doing what I want to do — my school is in the past now.”

Recorded as part of an interview with Alice Bryant on 8th September.

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