Sam is an incredibly motivated woman. She is a youth worker, peer mentor and a mother of 5, from Birmingham. Sam was a member of our detached youth work team and here is her story.
“Hi I am Sam, I was groomed at 14 years young by my first baby father. He was deep into the gang life and doing all sorts, like selling drugs and getting into trouble. I was brought into the gang life very quickly and from a very young age, it became a way of living for me.
My second baby father, again was in the gang life. I was with him for 7 years and then he got locked up by the police. At this point, I had been involved in gangs for many years of my life. So when he got locked up, I just carried on doing all sorts of gang activity that my partner was doing, because it’s all I have known.
After Prison.
I, myself ended up going to prison for perverting the course of justice. When I was in prison I realised that this is not what I want to do, or what I want my life to be, for me and my children. So when I came out of prison, I decided I am going to improve my life, so I took a peer mentoring course.
Now I am a peer mentor that specialises in helping female offenders.
I saw my friend post an advert for ACT CIC’s OCN Level 3 Gangs and Youth Violence Course , and because I already did a mental health, peer mentor and counselling course, I just jumped on the Gangs and Youth Violence Course.
All I want to do is go back to my roots and help girls in gangs. I managed to change my life around and I believe my calling is to help, support and encourage other young girls in gangs, to change their life and have a better future.
While taking the Gangs and Youth Violence Course, I connected with the CEO of ACT CIC, Teswal White. He contacted me about an opportunity to work and be apart of the detached youth work team.”
Working with young people.
“Teswal was my youth worker 20 years ago, so to come full circle and now work with him and the team, was an amazing opportunity. This was a perfect starting point to get outside and help young people in the community.
I have absolutely loved working with the detached youth violence team, talking, supporting and guiding underprivileged young people really made a difference. We did the detached youth work in Aston park, we spoke with young people and try to het them to engage with activities.
I found it hard to engage with the girls more than the boys. But we arranged a fun day for them and since the Fun day event, we had a lot more interaction. The kids are good kids, they love that went and interacted with them. I think the young people feel a bit of security knowing we are there and easy to talk to.
The one memory that will stick In my head was when Teswal and I, decided to do something other than football so arranged a game of rounders. We had about 5 kids join in that was before the fun day, after the fun day me and Leah done the same and one boy who we could never get off the pitch actually joined in and we had over 15 kids join in.
It really stuck with me at how much the Funday and detached youth work impacted the kids.”
Follow Sam.
If you would like to follow Sam’s journey, please view the links below.