"The best way to start change is from within." Birmingham care leaver calls for more lived experience in care system
Chloe Williamson recently won a King's Trust Award for overcoming personal barriers
A Birmingham woman who grew up in care's been telling us more people who work in the care system should have lived experience of it.
Chloe Williamson, who's 24 and originally from Northern Ireland, recently won a King's Trust Award for overcoming challenging personal circumstances.
"From the get go I knew that I needed to change the amount of people that want to come back into the system after living in it," she said.
"Everybody's experience of the system is very different, but I want to highlight to people that no matter what your experience is, having any experience all and then working in that very system... there is no better way to start change than from within."
After overcoming a challenging childhood, homelessness, and struggles with her mental health, Chloe rebuilt her confidence, made a fresh start in Birmingham and turned her life around.
She now dedicates herself to volunteering and raising awareness for those facing similar challenges.
“My time in care was particularly challenging, including struggling with grief and my mental health. It wasn’t until later in life that I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, OCD and long-term PTSD.”
“I battled internally with the challenges I faced growing up and felt labelled by my circumstances.”
Despite facing adversity, Chloe did well at school, but her life outside of the classroom grew increasingly unstable.
It wasn’t until she was made homeless for a third time, with nowhere to go that Chloe decided enough was enough.
“There was nothing left for me in Northern Ireland. If I was going to have a fighting chance at breaking the cycle, then I had to leave home for good. I made the move to England, began detoxing from my substance abuse and began healing, in the hope of finding better opportunities and a chance at a better quality of life,” she said.
Once in Birmingham, despite having better opportunities, Chloe struggled building relationships and found it difficult to connect with employers like a lot of young people with adverse backgrounds.
She was determined not to give up and soon was referred to a job fair and signed up for a course in Health and Social Care.
Whilst on the course, Chloe said she felt a sense of belonging and found her confidence and belief in herself soar.
“Things started to swiftly change for me. The Trust gave me a glimmer to the light at the end of a tunnel. I felt like I was wanted on the programme and was just as able to achieve something for myself as everyone else.
“I cannot express enough how this opportunity has revitalised my motivation. The King’s Trust accepted me and was a support despite my lifelong struggles with mental health.
"Without them I’d still be feeling lost and undeserving, trapped by the belief that individuals like me are not meant to achieve their dreams.”