Sally’s - Story
on track to achieve
Two years ago St James Place Charitable Foundation engaged the Trust to deliver programmes specifically focussing on young women. Since then, 181 female students from schools across the country have received transformational mentoring from our sporting champions thanks to the funding. At a time when young women’s current happiness as well as their confidence in the future has dropped according to the Prince’s Trust youth index, the positive results from these programmes show what an important difference we can make, with wellbeing improving by an average of 11% and self-esteem rising by 14%.
We visited Prenton High School in the North West, where students including Sally were mentored by world champion inline skater Jenna Downing.
“I was chosen for the On Track to Achieve programme because I used to lack confidence speaking in new situations, with large groups, or to people I didn't know. I would stand on the edge of groups and try to avoid eye contact.
One of the most useful things I got from the programme was believing in myself when I had ideas or had something to say. With that, came motivation as well. So even if I didn’t know how to do something, I’d find a way around so I could do it.
I really enjoy working as part of a team, but one of the most challenging parts of the programme was when we were trying to decide what we wanted to do as our social action project. We all had different ideas of what we wanted to do, so it was just kind of channelling them so we had a clear vision of what it was we wanted to achieve and ensuring everyone in the group was involved.
I would definitely say my communication skills have improved and I’m now able to deliver a presentation to a group. Also, being able to talk to people I don’t know is so much better, which is about confidence and communication as well. As part of the social action project, we had to do a survey of girls in year 7, just going up to 10 of them and asking them questions and that’s something else I couldn’t have done 6 months ago.
I’m also better now at understanding and accepting constructive criticism, a few months ago I just wouldn’t have listened, but now I do and that’s helped me grow as a person.
Jenna’s a really inspiring person, her story was interesting, and she’s given us great ideas. It was good to have an ex-athlete working with us because she has so much experience and she could really help us when we had questions.
Overall, this programme and working with Jenna has made me more confident in myself and my ideas, given me an increased sense of self belief and I’ve made new friends. Because of this programme I’m also going to continue to try new things and take risks, because why not? What’s the worst that can happen?
Sally’s teacher Nikki said:
“It’s only been five weeks but the change in Sally has been amazing. In that time, she’s really found herself within the group and she’s now leading from the front. The biggest change I’ve seen in Sally is her ability to take the lead and have the confidence to know that the plan she’s put together is good and step forward and take the lead in delivering it. She is going to go far.”
Jenna Downing, Sally’s athlete mentor added:
“I noticed Sally was quite an introverted character; she was quiet, reserved, and thoughtful. As the programme progressed and I got to know her I began to realise that she had a quiet confidence about her; whenever Sally would speak everyone would instantly listen.
Not only has she grown in confidence herself, but she has had a real positive impact on the group in encouraging everyone to work together and strengthening their team bonds.”
Nikki highlighted the positive impact working with athlete mentor Jenna has had across the whole group:
“A lot of the students that come to our school have a disadvantaged background. A number of the group are pupil premium and don’t always get the right support at home. The way Jenna comes in a room and the way she works with our students is amazing.
Sports people are unique. They are so motivational. We have business people coming in to the school and they don’t grab the attention like a sportsperson does. They’ve had to work hard, they’ve had to train, dedicate themselves and they’ve had to dig in deep. And the students can see that and can’t help to be inspired by that.
Having the female role model is so important for our school. They see them and go ‘wow we can do that.’ ”
Sally attended our On Track to Achieve programme in Birkenhead which was funded by St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation alongside 11 other schools in 2021-22.