Help written-off young people have a brighter future

Young people who have experienced early-life trauma, neglect or an undiagnosed condition like ADHD (often all three), can struggle with the pressures of secondary education. Their inability to cope can lead to a fight or flight response which through no fault of their own, they can't control. Unfortunately such behaviours are disruptive to others and they are labelled "trouble", often deal with the blunt tool of exclusion or worse, expulsion. This outcome for a young person only reinforces their feeling of disillusion, rejection and low self-esteem. A dangerous spiral.

We learned this firsthand through the journey of our two adopted children, siblings who faced impossible hurdles from the start. Witnessing their struggles was heartbreaking, but we always admired their willingness to get up every day and face the challenge of the school day, however daunting. We had to push hard to access any support that was on offer, which was too little and took too long.

These "written-off" youngsters are all born with potential, but lack confidence and self-belief to trust their own abilities. Yet, even the smallest encouragement, positive enforcement and faith shown in them is transformative.

This is why I've decided to run the Regency 10k in aid of our local charity, Young People First. With an initial goal of £500, Young People First can provide 20 hours of invaluable mentoring, offering even more young people the chance to transition into confident, self-assured adults. These sessions are more than just coaching; they are lifelines to children that others appear to have given up on.

With so many youngsters suffering with their mental health (over 20% in all age groups), the time to support these young people is NOW.