We are celebrating the success of one of our young customers this spring (2016). 

Leigh teenager, Charley Taylor, has won a place on a Royal Air Force (RAF) training programme after flying through several rounds of interviews as part of the selection process. 

Nineteen-year-old Charley currently lives at Riverside’s supported housing in Leigh after she found herself homeless following a breakdown in family relationships. She came to Riverside’s Railway Road in August with low self-esteem and in need of support to find training and employment opportunities in Leigh.

 With the help of her Riverside Education, Training and Employment Specialist, Kathryn Thorpe, and her Riverside Support Worker, Jess Hagan (both pictured), Charley applied for an RAF training scheme last summer.

Charley, who spent six years as an RAF Cadet, said: “I’m excited about starting my training next month and hope to go onto work as an Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic in the forces. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into learning new skills and the opportunity to travel abroad.”

The teen feels her experience as a cadet and her nine months spent living at Railway Road has taught her teamwork and leadership skills. Charley has got involved with training and activities at Railway Road, most recently Street Fit, a 10-week programme of active sessions, delivered in partnership with Street Soccer, to improve health and fitness levels, leadership and co-operation skills and confidence and self-esteem.

Riverside’s Railway Road provides temporary accommodation single homeless men and women aged between 16 and 65-years-old. The service also has emergency provision for rough sleepers in the town.