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Every life tells a story

Abbie’s story

Abbie recently left the STEPS Under 16s programme at our Woking Learning Centre.  Like many of the young people we work with, Abbie has had to contend with a difficult home life, and on top of that struggled in school because of dyslexia and bullying.  

She felt let down at school by what she felt was lack of understanding for her difficulties with reading and writing. She also felt that she wasn’t supported in copying with bullying.

As a result she started truanting and that’s why she came to STEPS.

Helping Abbie was difficult because she was so withdrawn. She describes herself as having been in “my own little bubble”.  

During her time at STEPS she has made one particularly good friend and they have each been a positive, encouraging influence on the other.    This summer,  Jonathan Lord, the MP for Woking, visited to the Woking Learning Centre and the staff were amazed at how the shy little Abbie of a year or so ago had blossomed into such a confident young woman.    She chatted to him for a long time, full of how being at STEPS had helped her. She says STEPS was like having a second family and that it made her feel safe.  

Abbie is now returning to mainstream education thanks to gaining a place at college and is coming into the Woking Learning Centre one day a week as a volunteer to support and mentor young people still on the programme.

Abbie in her own words

“I got bullied quite a bit and fell behind with my classwork and missed lots of school, that’s why I ended up at STEPS. Before I came here, I thought it would be like a mainstream school and I was worried about being bullied.

When I arrived here I was in my own little bubble. I didn’t want to talk to anybody. I just kept myself to myself. Since I have been here I have never been bullied. Because it’s a smaller group of us we get on like a family. I think of STEPS like a second family. I really do miss it now that I have left.

I mainly got on with Jess, she’s a really good friend,  but I was friends with everybody at STEPS.

I had no confidence when I first started here but I have done really well. I think it’s been amazing. It’s helped me in so many ways. If you find things difficult at STEPS there are always people to ask and help you. I was really pleased that I passed my English.”

Find out more

Working with young people at STEPS