Mum says Prince's Trust support was life-changing

On the weekend of the Coronation of King Charles III, one woman said the support of one of his charities was "life-changing".

Josie Eddy, from Treorchy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said she does not know where she would be had it not been for the Prince's Trust.

As Prince of Wales, King Charles founded 17 charities, including the Prince's Trust which supports 3,500 young people across Wales every year.

The charity believes every young person should have the chance to succeed.

Josie, 27, is an award-winning youth worker, she is confident, energetic and popular with the young people she works with in Treorchy.

But, the past few years have not always been easy, Josie got pregnant when she was still at school.

"I was a typical teenager, quite bubbly. I went through a rough patch with my mother at the time and I started to rebel.

"I met a person, who wasn't the best character for a relationship, and I fell pregnant when I was in the sixth form - I wanted to go to university, maybe do drama, but I had to raise a child."

Josie said she was scared to tell her parents at first as they were not on good terms, but her mother had her when she herself was young so was more understanding.

"I was really nervous about people judging me, if I was walking down the street with a baby, what would they say?

"I was judged a bit, I was one of the first people in my year to have a child.

"I never told people in school, I was too afraid to tell people so I hid it with baggy jumpers, and then in the December I had Bradley and it was all over Facebook, and people were like 'what, Josie was pregnant'?"

Once she told everyone, Josie said her parents and her grandparents were really supportive and everyone who knew her in the street got together and asked people for baby baskets and bags of clothes for her.

Josie gave birth to Bradley at Prince Charles Hospital when she was 18.

"Being alone and raising a baby was quite scary - one minute I'm a young person doing whatever I want, and then I'm having sleepless nights, up every three hours, 'I was like, oh my days, I can't do this', but every time mum would hear, she'd come in and say 'you've got this, you're fine, I've done it, you can do it'."

Despite her family's support, Josie struggled as her relationship with Bradley's father broke down.

"I lost my relationships with my closest friends because of the relationship I was in, I wasn't allowed to see my friends and family.

"I was monitored on what I bought, what I ate and drank, and my youth worker said I wasn't myself, I felt I had lost myself while going through this."

Josie told her youth worker she needed help and he introduced her to the Prince's Trust.

She signed up for a 12-week course which involved a three day residential programme, meaning she would have to leave one-year-old Bradley overnight for the first time.

"That was a big step for me, to leave my son when he was with me 24/7. I had trust issues with my son after everything I went through, and that was the biggest step I had to take - to leave my child at home.

"The course was really nice because I was able to 'not be a mam', I was able to be a young person, and I realised that I'm still young myself, I can still be a mam and grow while he's growing."

She said the course was "life-changing".

Josie said she does not think she would be a youth worker if it was not for the Prince's Trust as it inspired Josie into a career in youth work.

"I realised this is what I want to do, I want to help people, so I started volunteering at Treorchy Boys Club and that led into volunteering with the Youth Engagement Participation Service in Rhondda Cynon Taf."

Josie is now a qualified engagement support office and the team at Treorchy Youth Club work with about 70 young people each week.

"I feel I can relate to them, I feel maybe they'll look up to me when I tell them I'm in the same boat, that I've been there and I've done it.

"Sitting and listening to the young people is the most important part of youth work - you are not being judgemental," she said.

Emily, 16, said going to the youth club is the highlight of her week and she thinks very highly of Josie.

"She's just so amazing and she's like the best youth worker possible, she knows how to put a smile on your face."

Sophie, 16, said talking to Josie, helps her feel better and Josie feels like family to her.

Tarian, 15, said: "I respect her, because she respects me."

Looking to the future, Josie hopes to develop her career in youth work and make sure Bradley is happy and healthy.

"I just love him to bits and he loves me - I think!"