October 1st 2024.
Caitlin, a 25-year-old single mother, had been through a lot. She had been struggling to make ends meet while raising her five-year-old daughter. Despite her worn-out trainers, she refused to buy a new pair as she needed to prioritize her daughter's needs over her own. Her daughter was growing fast and constantly needed new clothes and nappies, leaving Caitlin with little to no extra money.
She had become pregnant at 18, right after finishing her apprenticeship at a community center near her home in the West Midlands. With no one to turn to for help, she found herself living alone in a one-bedroom flat with her young child. The high cost of daycare made it difficult for her to find a stable job. Whenever her mother, who had also been a single parent, was available to look after her daughter, Caitlin would work tirelessly at multiple jobs to make ends meet.
"I would work at a chip shop during the day and then at a nightclub at night," Caitlin shared. "I don't know how I managed, I barely slept. It was a never-ending cycle of work and exhaustion." But when her mother got a job at a care home and couldn't help out as much, Caitlin had to make a tough decision.
"I had to leave both jobs as I had no other choice," she explained. "It was just me and my daughter, struggling to survive. My shoes would wear out from being on my feet all day, but I couldn't afford to buy new ones. We couldn't even afford to turn on the gas or electricity, and some days, I would go without eating just so my daughter could have a meal."
Caitlin's situation is unfortunately not uncommon among young people. A recent study by The Prince's Trust found that 44% of individuals between the ages of 18 and 34 have had to work multiple jobs to achieve financial stability, with nearly 1 in 5 currently juggling more than one job. The survey also revealed that young people are sacrificing time with family and friends, as well as their hobbies and travel, in their pursuit of financial security.
Arainu Afeldt, head of employability at The Prince's Trust, emphasized the importance of providing support for young people facing financial challenges. "This research shows that young people are ambitious and motivated, but they need the right support to achieve their goals without sacrificing their mental health and well-being," she said.
For Caitlin, things took a turn for the better when she moved in with her mother and decided to focus on her mental health. After two years of being unemployed, she found a job as a healthcare assistant at her local hospital through The Prince's Trust's "Get Into Health and Social Care" program.
"I was so shy on my first day that I just stood there for 40 minutes," Caitlin laughed. "But now, I try to be the brightest star in the room to make my patients happy." She has also moved into a rented flat with her daughter and is able to afford extracurricular activities for her daughter, as well as help her mother with rent and groceries.
Caitlin has even bigger dreams for her future. She hopes to become a nurse and has recently applied for a training course that would allow her to do so. Despite the challenges she faced, she never gave up on her dreams. "It's taken me a while to realize this, but you're never really alone," Caitlin said. "Things may seem tough now, but they can always change. I never thought I'd reach this stage, but thanks to The Prince's Trust, my life has taken a complete 360."
To find out more about The Prince's Trust's work, click here. And if you have a story to share, please reach out to Kirsten by emailing her. We'd love to hear from you!
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