Platform 51

meet the women we work with

Becky

Seventeen-year-old Becky was in care and now, with Platform 51's help, is turning her life around.

"I never got on with my mum. I’d talk to her, but she’d ignore me. I don’t think she trusted me. After mum and dad divorced, mum found it hard to cope with me and my brother who’s disabled. So I had to go into care. I was shocked and upset; I felt rejected.

"Living with another family was really hard at first. I was quite shy and I didn’t want to leave my room. I felt like crying all the time. But they made me really welcome and I felt like part of a family. My new family made me realise that I’d never really felt welcome at home.

"My foster parents set really clear rules, what I could and couldn’t do. With my mum, there were no rules. Like mum never made me go to school, but my foster parents made me go to school every day - which was quite shocking! I was a long way behind in my work but I got my GCSEs and now I’m doing A-levels. I’d like to study nursing or be a mental health worker. I want to do that because I’ll be able to help people more because I’ve been through some of it myself. I like going to school now; I can see the point. I set goals for myself and I want to make something of my life.

"But there’s no one I can really turn to. I’m on my own. A few weeks ago my support worker took me to Platform 51 and I loved it; I’ve been going ever since. I try to go every day if I can! The staff are so kind. They’ve helped with loads of personal problems about my home life. And in practical ways too, like I didn’t know how to cook but they showed me how.

"One night a few weeks ago when I was still new at Platform 51, I was feeling quite down. I’d been drinking. I was really annoyed and angry, and at that time I wasn’t opening up to anyone. I was so drunk…  I went to Platform 51 and I was in a right old state. I was sick all over one of the workers. The police turned up. The state I was in… I had to go to hospital. It scared me because I’ve never been like that. I felt really bad the next day and I said sorry so many times. I felt so guilty making such a scene. I haven’t drunk anything since then. I’ve talked to the workers about what happened and they’ve really, really helped me. I’ve learned from it.

"The thing I like best about Platform 51 is the workers. They don’t judge me. If there’s a problem they’re always there to listen to me. They trust me! And now I’m turning my life around. I’ve always found it hard to open up to people, but at Platform 51 I can; I feel confident speaking to people, and in the last month I haven’t shut up!"

Find out how your support can help young women like Becky here.