A Lisburn woman has been named as the winner of an award from The King’s Trust after she showed immense determination in overcoming social anxiety and pushing herself out of her comfort zone.
Today, Charys, 22, is more confident than ever and is returning to education, excited about the next chapter of her life. The King’s Trust and TK Maxx & Homesense Awards recognise young people who have succeeded against the odds, improved their chances in life and had a positive impact on their local community.
Charys scooped the Delta Air Lines Breakthrough Award, which recognises a young person who has overcome personal barriers to take their very first steps towards achieving their goals.
"I walked into the programme as a shell of myself and walked out the most confident version of ‘me’ I’ve ever been," she said.
"Before reaching out to The King’s Trust, I felt hopeless. I was struggling with social anxiety and depression and felt completely isolated. I’d been physically bullied when I was eight-years-old and, because I hadn’t known how to process these emotions at the time, the trauma of that experience started affecting me during my teens.
"I’d left school at 15 with only one GCSE and didn’t know how to turn things around."
Charys bravely took a first step out of isolation by volunteering at a local animal shelter. Soon after, she saw an ad for The Trust’s Explore programme on Instagram. Explore is a flexible personal development programme which helps young people improve wellbeing, build positive routines and plan for their future.
She continued: "As soon as I saw the Explore ad, a voice inside said ‘this is your path’. Even enquiring online made me nervous and I was so anxious on the first day: my heart was pounding, I couldn’t eat and I found it hard to talk.
"For a long time, I hadn’t felt like I had a voice and I had been paralysed by the fear of being judged by my peers. However, on the programme, I started to build relationships again and my self-esteem grew.
"The King’s Trust created such a safe space that I felt comfortable enough to take part in group activities I previously would have avoided. This seemingly small step really helped my self-belief to grow. I began to think I was capable of anything."
Following Explore, Charys signed up for Get Started with Photography, also run by The King’s Trust.
"I felt much more confident this time and, during the end-of-programme celebration I offered to speak about my experience. Previously, I was petrified of public speaking but I was so proud of myself and confident in my photography work that I really relished the moment."
This newfound confidence has led Charys to apply to a two-year college access course in Social Sciences.
"I was able to walk into the college, speak to the receptionist, enrol on the course and apply for a support grant all by myself," she said.
"I truly feel like I’m ready to write the next chapter of my life."
On winning the Delta Air Lines Breakthrough Award, Charys said: "I didn’t know how to feel when I found out I’d won, I was so surprised! It’s a good reminder to think about how far I’ve come and everything I have to look forward to in the future."
Cory Campbell from Delta Air Lines, who presented Charys with her award, said: “A huge congratulations to Charys on winning your award. You should be so proud of your achievements and the positive future you’re creating for yourself. Well done."
Youth charity The King’s Trust gives young people the skills and confidence to get their lives on track. Three in four young people helped by The King’s Trust in the past five years have moved into work, training or education.
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