Chloe Young
Into Work Award Winner
Nominated by: WeMindTheGap
Just two years ago, Chloe Young from Mold, was too afraid to leave her own home due to severe anxiety and depression and an eating disorder she’d battled since she was 17. When she ended up in hospital after she attempted to take her own life, she thought there was no way out.
She said: “My life was a rollercoaster. At my lowest I would struggle to get out of bed to take my daughter to school. I had no confidence – there was nothing left of me to give. I didn’t see the use in talking about my mental health as I felt there was nothing that would take away my experiences.”
Chloe was referred to WeMindTheGap programme, a scheme which provides life coaching, work experience and access to employment, and it was life changing. She started the WeMindTheGap training programme, spending the next six weeks on work placements, and now she has plans to attend university to study to become a nurse. She said
"Starting my traineeship was like a light was turned back on in my life. The opportunities I had in those six months were life changing. I wanted a better life for me and my daughter. I soon understood that I had to accept the past in order to move forward.
I could feel my excitement bubbling to each new place I worked and each new skill I picked up, after walking into my first work placement being so shy.”
When Chloe graduated, she was asked to share her experiences with other inspirational women on her course, charity sponsors, placement managers friends and family.
“I was shaking, stuttering as I read my speech to a room full of 200 people. I was so emotional I burst into tears – I couldn’t believe I had the confidence to do it. I knew I would show the people who doubted me, and I have.”
Her fourth placement was for the social services as a support worker for the elderly led to permanent work. “I absolutely love it and its been the making of me. My daughter has about 20 honorary grandmas and grandpas, they love hearing about her. It made me realise that I want to take care of people, my boss says I have potential to be a senior manager, but I want to go to university and study nursing. I went to see my nan last week and she said how healthy I’m looking. I’m eating better, I socialise, I have a job I love, a car and I’m waiting for a date to take my driving test.”
