Can you remember when you was a teenager? Young adult? Aged 16 - 25? Can you remember the pressures you faced? Going through the process of understanding yourself? Questioning life & having dreams & goals? Now include being homeless..

More young people are growing up homeless in a society that puts enormous amounts of pressure on them which has a negative impact on their self-development. Examples of these pressures can include - Homelessness, neglect, social exclusion, bullying, stresses from education, body image, poverty & inequality, sexual pressures & an online culture that shows them 'perfection'.

My name is Shaq Porteous & I have the privilege to work for the YMCA as the Hostel Youth Sports Co-ordinator. I am also a Personal trainer/coach & I am blessed to be in the positions I am to help influence positive decision making & changes in the life’s of young people. I feel strongly that there is limited funding & resources  to help young people deal with mental health issues & homelessness which has led to a lack of support to help tackle the issues they face during the early stages of their development & adolescence liife’s.

Within my role, I am responsible for the coordinating & the delivery of a periodised sports programme for disadvantaged young people living in supported accommodation. The programme is designed to develop young people & vulnerable adults, providing them with a safe environment that promotes their personal, social & emotional development, by coached sports & exercise sessions that builds strengths & values, develops their commitment to service, & promotes their motivation to learn, to understand themselves.

I use a creative & positive approach when coordinating the programme to ensure the sessions are structured & planned to enable a progressive feel that will enable the young people I work with the opportunity to express themselves as individuals in a sporting environment through group sport sessions & activities. The programme has proven to be very successful with the young people that get involved in the program returning weekly, providing positive feedback & enjoying themselves.

I will be running the Edinburgh Half Marathon (Sunday 29th May) for the young people I work directly with at the Newark Emmaus Trust & for all of it’s residents to help raise funds for basic supplies, food, furniture, clothes, education resources etc. I have never ran a Half marathon & I am traditionally not a runner! For me this is a big challenge equally one I am very excited by. As much as I’m out of my comfort zone with this event, there are too many young people that are continually taken out of their comfort zone through no choice of their own & I’m doing this for them.

My  heart goes out to all the young people living in our society struggling with their mental health & to the young people that are disadvantaged during the process of adolescence. Every young person deserves the opportunity to be successful, be set up for success & have the foundations in place to enjoy life. 

I firmly believe that everyone has a personality that makes them unique, a voice that should be heard & feelings that should be acknowledged. 

Any form of a donation will help support Newark Emmaus Trust’s mission - "To help support local & vulnerable young people”.

THIS IS MY MISSION - DONATIONS  WILL CONTINUE TO BE RECEIVED POST EVENT - JUNE 2022.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity (Newark Emmaus Trust). So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

A massive thank you for taking the time to read to the end. That in itself means a lot myself, the young people & the trust. If you could share the page, get involved & others involved will be a massive support. It will go along way in directly changing the life’s of some real amazing young individuals that deserve the world.

Feel free to get in contact with myself & the trust - 

Email: shaquille.porteous@nottsymca.org

Instagram: @shaqporteous

LinkedInn: Shaquille Porteous

Facebook - Shaqporteous fitness.health

Newark Emmaus Trust contact details -

Website - https://www.newarkemmaustrust.org.uk/

Email - info@newarkemmaustrust.co.uk

Facebook - Newark Emmaus Trust

LinkedInn - Newark Emmaus Trust

(Follow the journey to the event with myself & Newark Emmaus Trust through video & picture updates).

Shaquille Porteous.