By David Cohen

Copyright standard

Courage — that’s the word that comes to mind when you hear what Megan has had to overcome to get where she is today.

The death of her best friend when she was just 12, followed by spinal surgery for scoliosis that kept her out of school for months, left Megan vulnerable. She was bullied and found herself bouncing between friendship groups.

Her dream was to work in the NHS as a nurse, but she needed English and Maths GCSEs, and when she failed to pass, that dream felt out of reach.

“I ended up working in a call centre for two years,” said Megan. “The constant sitting caused my back to seize up, and at 19 I lost my job. I was on Universal Credit, with no money, no self-esteem and really low confidence. I kept trying to retake English and Maths but it was hard without structure.”

Now 25 and living in London, Megan recalls that she was at her lowest point — depressed and directionless — when her grandmother told her about a jobs fair at Leicester City Football Club.

The fair, run by The King’s Trust — then The Prince’s Trust — would change her life.

Megan is one of thousands of young people for whom The King’s Trust — our partner in the Destination Unknown campaign to help unemployed young Londoners into work or business — has been transformative.

“I told them I wanted to work in healthcare and asked: ‘Can you help me?’ I was sceptical, but I signed up. They were so patient — and I think that made all the difference. They helped with my CV, interview prep, showed me I had more skills than I realised. Most importantly, they gave me the confidence to retake my English GCSE equivalent and apply for jobs.”

She enrolled on a 12-week online course in social care, which led to work in care homes — a good step, but not yet her dream. With support from her King’s Trust mentor, she focused on moving to London and working in a hospital.

“My mentor told me, ‘You can do it — I believe in you.’ I applied for four healthcare assistant jobs — a role I hadn’t heard of until the Trust — and got all four!”

She took a job in a north London hospital and worked there for 18 months, supporting patients with feeding, washing, and mobility. But her real passion was working with children. With her mentor’s encouragement, she applied for multiple roles — and again, got them all.

“It was very competitive — I had about nine interviews — but I got the job at Great Ormond Street Hospital. I’ve been there over two years now. I love it — the team are so patient, they guide me and help me grow.”

She added: “My next goal is to train as a nurse. From someone who once lacked the confidence to ask for what I needed, I now believe I can do it.”

Another young woman helped by The King’s Trust is Hannah, 18, from Stroud, who also faced setbacks at school that left her adrift.

“I was doing well at first, but from about 13 I started getting dizzy spells and feeling shaky,” she said. “Doctors weren’t sure why and put it down to anxiety. My school attendance dropped, and even though I sat my GCSEs, I didn’t pass any.”

It was her mum who discovered the King’s Trust. Hannah joined one of their programmes — but at first, she found it a challenge and wanted to give up.

“I felt the same anxiety I had at school, being in a group. But the difference was, for the first time, I felt heard — not like I was just being a problem. I made friends, learned team-leading skills, and started building my confidence.”

There was a residential trip, but Hannah wasn’t ready to stay overnight — so the Trust adjusted the plan. “They let me come just for the day. They adapted to my needs and made me feel safe.”

By the end of the 12-week course, Hannah felt ready to work. She applied for a part-time role as an afterschool club assistant and got it — her first job. She’s now been there nearly a year.

“I am still figuring out what it is I want to do, but I have made so much progress,” she said. “The idea of having a job used to terrify me — now I see people are kind, and the world of work is open to me.”

You can help more young people like Megan and Hannah take their first steps into work and a more hopeful future.

Photography by Elliott Morgan. Visit kingstrust.org.uk/destination-unknown for more information or to donate

The King’s Trust has contributed £80,000 to help the Standard cover the costs of this appeal. This funding has been used to raise awareness of the Trust’s charitable work, helping it to transform young lives. The King’s Trust is a registered charity incorporated by Royal Charter in England and Wales (1079675) and Scotland (SC041198)