Teenager Jess Brockley credits the YMCA with turning her life around

A TEENAGER who was one step away from living on the streets has now become a champion for other young people after turning her own life around.

Jess Brockley was just 17 years old when she left her family home in Leek after months of constant rows.

Suddenly cut adrift, she turned to the YMCA in Crewe for help.

Through their support, she slowly gained confidence, new skills and eventually found her own flat.

Now 18 months on, the former Westwood College student has shared her story with a Government minister and has called for more support to help other young people in crisis.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith was invited to the YMCA last month through the town's MP Edward Timpson.

As well as touring its facilities and finding out about itsinnovative projects, he got to hear from Jess and other teenagers about the challenges they faced.

Jess, aged 18, said: "It was a really good experience. I told him everything.

"What the Government could do to improve things for young people is to support more places like the YMCA.

"They should also continue supporting young people with housing benefit. Not everybody can stay at home until they are 25. Without benefit, I would have absolutely no money. It's helped me get back on my feet."

Jess's traumatic experience is similar to many young people who turn to the YMCA.

It offers crisis beds on a short-term basis and has 55 rooms for longer term residents, who typically stay for between six and 18 months. But the accommodation is just one aspect of the support.

Jess joined a project called the football academy at the YMCA, which uses sport to teach teenagers lots of different life skills.

It is funded through a £47,000 Children In Need grant, which has enabled the YMCA to hire additional staff over a three-year period.

Jess said: "I've also done sports leadership through it and gained more qualifications. Then I got asked if I wanted to try out for the Homeless World Cup."

Jess attended national trials at West Bromwich last year, but just missed out on a place in the England ladies' squad.

Although football is now on the back burner, Jess is busy building up her CV.

She volunteers at the YMCA's Whistle Stop Cafe three times a week, which serves up food for people who work for local businesses.

"I normally work on the butties," she said. I'm also planning to go back to college to do an employability course."

It seems a world away from her previous brush with college life.

Soon after moving into the YMCA, she had begun suffering from anxiety and was forced to give up her childcare course at South Cheshire College.

"I just couldn't cope," she recalled. "I was diagnosed with pneumonia as well.

"Those first few months were difficult. But the turning point for me was the football academy. I was playing football with lots of people I hadn't met before.

"It helped me see things more clearly. I realised there were loads of people in similar situations to me.

"My resettlement worker helped me a lot as well. When a flat came up and I was offered it, I was so excited. I've been in it for around three months now."

Jess, who is expecting a baby, is also back in touch with members of her family and is trying to build bridges.

She said: "I'm a lot more confident now. I've grown into someone who appreciates what I've got."

Staff at the YMCA have also seen the changes in Jess. Anna Charlton, a support worker and officer at the YMCA, said: "She's really come out of herself. She's much more sociable and confident. What we do here is so important. It's not just offering a place to stay. It's making a difference to their lives."

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