Real Lives – Alan’s Story

Alan is 28 years old and is a youth worker at YMCA Hayes.

Alan arrived to the UK from South Africa (Alan is originally from Zimbabwe) as a refugee and an unaccompanied young minor at just 17 years old. Alan was in care up until the age of 21, where Alan was deemed responsible for his own life.

Qualified Youth Worker

Alan was referred and became a resident of YMCA Hayes, located in West London. Over the past two years, Alan has gone from a YMCA service user (resident) to becoming a qualified Youth Worker, for the same YMCA that took him in. During this two-year period, Alan gained qualifications in becoming a boxing tutor and a football coach, all with the help of his local YMCA.

Watch Alan’s interview below and hear how youth services have helped him.