After a turbulent childhood, Frankie shares her journey of building her confidence and overcoming anxiety to start planning for the future. Read her story:

My name is Frankie, and I’m 23 years old. I have had a difficult childhood. My mum was abusive, and my dad wasn’t really around much. When I turned 10, I moved in with my dad and step-mum and started going to a new school. It took me a while to get used to being there, and it didn’t help that I had a problem learning in school and I would get teased.

It wasn’t until I was 22 years old that I was diagnosed with ADHD and autism. I thought I was just stupid for my whole life, I didn’t know I just learnt differently. Everything made more sense.

“They’ve really helped with my confidence and anxiety.”

I left after my first year of college at 17. I wasn’t getting any help with my learning, and I started struggling with anxiety and having panic attacks. From there, I started working at a care home which was hard work, but I made really good friends there who helped me push through.

I had my little boy when I was 20, 2 months before my 21st birthday. He’s such a happy and excited boy – but he always thinks that nighttime is party time!

I started struggling with post-natal depression. I didn’t feel like myself anymore and I stopped leaving the house.

After falling out with my family, I went to live with my Nana. I slept on her floor for 6-months before her friend told her about my local EveryYouth charity in Edinburgh – the Rock Trust.

I moved into Rock Trust-supported accommodation, and for the first couple of months, I was a bit shy – I didn’t want to go to any of the group activities. I managed to pluck up the courage to go to my first group activity and met some amazing people, and started going to more and more sessions.

My confidence grew until I started volunteering at the Rock Trust café, where we cook food for staff and help raise money for the charity. The group activities, funded by EveryYouth Employed, helped me start thinking more about the future, work on my employability skills and start a plan for the future.

I’ve volunteered across the Rock Trust and become a big of a Peer Mentor for new residents.

At the moment, I’m interviewing for Support Worker positions, helping adults with disabilities. I want to help people as much as they have helped me. It’s important to give back and show the world that people with disabilities can push themselves to achieve amazing things.

After I leave the Rock Trust, I really want to come back to volunteer. I feel like I can go out into the world and face it after being at the Rock Trust. They’ve really helped with my confidence and anxiety.

If anyone is in a similar position to me, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re in Edinburgh, come to the Rock Trust, they will have their arms open!

To find out more about our EveryYouth Employed programme click here.