Meet Our Weegie Hero, Liam!

Today, we’re thrilled to introduce the first of our Weegie Heroes, Liam. A young man whose inspiring story encapsulates everything Young Glasgow Talent strives for. From a mentored young person, struggling with home life and school. To a successful and well educated adult. Having graduated from university, he’s now working in the career he had aspired to. He has come completely full circle. Liam is now mentoring a YGT young person. Just like his mentor, he’s supporting a very deserving young person through their own education. Supporting them towards the career they dream of. What an amazing transformation!

Liam’s blog highlights the necessity of a mentor for a young person who is disengaged with their education. It shows the amazing moment when a young person finds that “spark” of interest that will guide their education and career. Consistent support is also vital throughout this journey. Liam’s mentor ensured motivation and encouraged aspirations.

Read about Liam’s transformation, in his own words:

 

“From my personal experience, growing up in Glasgow was challenging at times. But looking back, it has given me a sense of pride, grit and determination. When I met Donna, I was disillusioned with school. To me it wasn’t the place where I would build the foundations for my life, but more somewhere I had to go. I wasn’t interactive in class and was just sitting by and letting it all go past. Not because I didn’t think I didn’t have aspirations for a better life even though I had no idea what that was, but there was just too much going on for me to apply myself and maintain good attendance. I was in a constant cycle of falling behind.

Donna was the piece of consistency in school that I needed, even though I had no idea what her job was or why she took such an interest. It was someone who was there for me. From being able to drop into her office during interval or lunch and just chat, even about the most pointless of things to more serious at home issues. Thinking of it, I have no recollection of how we first met but the relationship just seemed to grow. This was the part missing for me, someone in school to encourage, push and have confidence in my abilities – who wasn’t doing it because they had to, simply because it’s what they felt was right and they wanted to make a change. Spotting that my favourite subjects were more practical and technical, I was given the opportunity thanks to Donna to undertake a taster construction course in 3rd year. This experience allowed me to grow incredibly, from giving me lifelong friends, boosting my confidence to a passion in construction which carried on throughout school and the rest of education.

If it wasn’t for Donna, there was a drowning pool full of elements that would have made school life already harder than it was. Without Donna to keep me on course and motivated, all these would have got the better of me and stopped me from discovering and reaching my full potential.

When I left school, I had my Highers and other qualifications and although I had the grades I still didn’t quite have the confidence to go straight to university. So I went to the City of Glasgow College to study HNC Architectural Conservation. A passion spawned from the taster course I undertook thanks to Donna in 3rd year. So having achieved an A in HNC I went on to the 2nd year of Glasgow Caledonian University Building Surveying BSc (Hons) course. Throughout university I worked hard and remained engaged throughout any difficulties I had. Gaining two prestigious scholarships in the process, The Robertson Trust Scholarship and the KAR (Cebarco Bahrain) Scholarship, I had the opportunity to travel the world, going throughout Europe, the Middle East and Australia. Being able to meet amazing friends along the way.

 

I’m 22 years old now and I recently had the incredible experience of graduating with a 2:1 Honours Degree and find myself in an excellent Graduate position working towards my Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Assessment of Professional Competence. Looking back on my turbulent and disadvantaged journey through life, the graduation ceremony was my proudest moment. Looking up from my seat during the ceremony and seeing the smiling faces of my girlfriend Nicola, my Mum and Donna herself all bursting with pride was a feeling that words couldn’t begin to explain.

Looking back through it all, I am not bitter about my circumstances. Things happen in life that either makes you stronger or defeat you and for me, they have given me a deep sense of motivation, commitment and resilience.

My ambitions for my future professionally are to reach Chartered status and push myself through the challenges and opportunities that present themselves. Personally I am enjoying the life that, in school, I didn’t know was possible.
I couldn’t be happier and what makes it all that better is being able to take my experiences and life lessons and use them to benefit someone else who may be in the same position I was. For the last few weeks of the school term I was so proud to become a Young Glasgow Talent mentor for MCR, something which I cannot wait to become again come September.”

We’ve always known that the winning formula of mentoring really works. Being there for a young person can truly turn their life around, improving educational outcomes significantly. Just as you can see from Liam’s powerful story. Amazing transformations like Liam’s, means we have support from many of the city’s biggest organisations, including Glasgow City Council. Maureen McKenna, Executive Director of Education, Glasgow City Council said:

“Quite simply – working with MCR Pathways has had an impact on the positive destinations of the young people who have been mentored as part of the initiative. The process is now very much embedded within our practice framework and together our ambitious aim is to now extend the work to all Glasgow secondary schools over the next three years.”

Thriving to make Liam’s story a reality for all disadvantaged young people in Glasgow and beyond is our goal!

We have many more young people like Liam signing up for Young Glasgow Talent’s help. They need mentors to make a huge difference to their confidence, educational outcomes and future life chances. Can you help them? You’ll guide disadvantaged, but utterly deserving and ambitious, young people through their education. Find out more about becoming a mentor www.youngglasgowtalent.org/be-a-mentor

Can your organisation help? To become involved in our Talent Taster programme, alongside our partners such as Glasgow Life and The Herald, simply go to the GET INVOLVED section of www.youngglasgowtalent.org.

We’re always looking for new mentors to reach all the new young people who are coming on board with the programme. Help us spread the word by letting your friends and family know how worthwhile mentoring can be!

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