When St Giles first met him, 20 year old Jack* had been the victim of a serious assault and had been stabbed in the eye.

The trauma of this, alongside the fact he was a looked after child and had been moved around many different placements, meant he had a very challenging start in life.

As a result of the assault, he was moved to a different part of London but to an area he was unfamiliar with and had no connections or support.

The caseworker helped with his application for Personal Independence Payments so he could have a steady, legitimate form of income.  We also helped him register with a GP and arranged an appointment with the eye clinic to aid his recovery.

Jack was still understandably very worried about his safety, having been the victim of such a horrific attack.  His caseworker helped him identify any known hotspots in his new local area so that he could avoid these when out and about. He also supported Jack with his health and wellbeing, encouraging him to join a local gym and think about future employment prospects.

Despite the barriers he was facing, Jack was extremely motivated and, in turn, his caseworker gave him all the encouragement he could.  Opportunities began to open up.  He attended an employability session with the National Grid and now a possible career in construction lies ahead.

Jack has a passion for music and has started volunteering at a local creative hub. Staff at the centre noted his positive attitude and behaviour as ‘amazing’ – a huge boost to his confidence, self-esteem and self-belief.

The journey is ongoing and Jack has recognised the need for counselling after his traumatic injury, but he is positive for the future and what lies ahead for him.

The gratitude to St Giles is clear:

You’ve come through for me and shown me support, I got love for you for that, bro”