Your Future Cornwall

Sue’s Story: Supporting a Young Person to Thrive

Sue Mendham, a Careers Adviser from the Your Futures Team, has been working closely with a young person who faced several barriers to education and training. The young person, who attended a specialist school on the Devon/Cornwall border, struggled with learning and had started missing school more often.

Sue stepped in to offer careers advice and support. She helped the young person explore options for moving into mainstream education. Although a college placement was arranged, it quickly broke down due to the young person’s personal and social development (PSD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits.

Not giving up, Sue worked with the young person to find a better path. Together, they secured a work placement at a high-profile restaurant. In this fast-paced environment, the young person thrived. He was soon offered an apprenticeship.

Sue also supported the employer in finding a training provider that could meet the young person’s learning and support needs. Thanks to this teamwork, the young person has now completed the first year of his apprenticeship. He is on track to finish his Level 2 Commis Chef qualification in December 2025.

To help him succeed further, Sue advocated with Petroc College so he could access online maths and English lessons, which suited his learning style better than face-to-face classes.

The young person has now been offered ongoing employment and dreams of working in France to grow his culinary skills.

"Thank you so much for your help with getting my son the help and support he needs to complete his apprenticeship and go on to achieve his goals. We had so much to fight with in his life, especially with education. We very much appreciate your help.” - Parent

This is a great example of the amazing work Your Future Cornwall does to empower young people across the county. By offering tailored support and guidance, the team helps young people overcome challenges and build brighter futures.