| A fresh start for Kash |
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Kash is 19. His mum passed away when he was two and he has spent most of his life in foster care. Kash was moved from one home to another and grew up without a sense of belonging. “All I wanted was a sense of identity, a bit of praise and a bit of love.” Kash fell into the wrong crowd and joined a gang. He got involved in violence and started stealing. This changed in 2005 when he was in court for robbing a man on a bus. “They showed me CCTV footage of me committing the crime and I saw for the first time the ordeal I had put this man through just for a phone. Hearing the victim’s version of events made me realise the consequences of my actions.” Kash knew that he had to do something to turn around his life. Although he was living with his father at this point, he became homeless when his father kicked him out. Kash’s Youth Offending Team referred him to the YMCA. “There, I was given a sense of direction, a sense of belonging - people who saw the good in me and believed in me.” Kash’s life now is very different. Last year, he took part in a five month voluntary expedition in India. He has become a Board member at West London YMCA and is studying to be a full-time youth worker. He runs anger management classes with young people who are going through difficult situations just like he was. “Youth work is my passion in life. The YMCA helped me discover this and nurtured this passion. I now have a sense of belonging. "If it wasn’t for the YMCA, I wouldn’t be the changed man that I am.” |
