Julia and her son Danny were referred to The Door at the end of 2017. Things were becoming difficult at home. Danny, was showing signs of unacceptable behaviour within a new group of friends, and also within the family.

The Door offered Danny a volunteer mentor, which he agreed to, and began meeting up with them once a week. Taking advantage of a safe, positive relationship where he could express himself and be honest about his feelings, Danny started to make good progress and all in the right direction.

Julia also has someone to talk to each week, The Door’s Family Support Worker Sandra, she was nervous at first, finding eye contact quite difficult and keeping conversation to a minimum:

“I felt out of control, unable to be assertive or do anything independently. Relationships with my family had become very distant. Through being supported by Sandra, I have become more confident and I’m taking steps to be more assertive.”

Julia has also been able to deal with the aspects of her past that have been contributing to the situation in the present. With Sandra’s help she has been able to take back control in her life and family, this has included working with her husband to strengthen their relationship and parent more collaboratively.

Family Support through The Door isn’t only about helping people like Julia become more confident as parents. We aim to help people reach their potential in all aspects of their life. Often parents have lost their identity as anything other than “someone’s mum”, and support from Shona, Sandra and the team can help them find their identity again.

Julia has been able to broaden her own horizons and discover what she can achieve as a person in her own right. Reflecting on her experience since January she says

“It’s like a dream come true, I would never have believed I could do so much. Things are so much better and I now feel that I matter and that I can make changes in my home”

A donation of just £10 a month could help someone like Julia take back control of their life and unlock their own potential. Donate Here