Carl had been excluded from a school in Kensington and Chelsea and did not want to attend a Pupil Referral Unit so had no access to education.
Case Study: Supporting young people at risk
His parents were concerned that he was being exploited by a gang and he was referred to a local charity after an arrest for possession of Class A and B drugs.
The charity identified that Carl was at risk of exploitation when he travelled to and from his football training sessions on Sunday evenings which were right in the middle of gang territory. Carl confirmed that he was being offered money by gang members which was very tempting as he was from a low income background and, without educational qualifications, would struggle to find employment.
After Carl had completed a 2 month prison sentence, the charity worked with him intensively to understand his goals and interests and engaged him in an activity programme with other young people focused on building positive relationships and unity. His case worker supported him to apply for college courses relevant to his interests and, despite having only 2 GCSEs, Carl is now enrolled on a level 2 course in electrical installation.