Inspirational Young Person - 2022 Nominee - Ame

When Ame fled to Suffolk with the help of her aunt to escape an abusive marriage, she was sleeping on the sofa of a busy family home and became increasingly isolated.
Ame was extremely reserved and felt self-conscious about speaking English, so she stayed inside. Her whole life had been uprooted and, while her family had been a fantastic support system, she wanted to start regaining her independence.
Over the course of 12 weeks with Inspire, her self-belief came on leaps and bounds. With the gentle encouragement of her tutor, Ame started to come to life and began engaging in conversations with the rest of her team.
Her tutor and aunt spoke regularly, and she was encouraged to speak English at home. This approach meant that she quickly gained the tools she needed to communicate and, eventually, the confidence to speak up.
When the programme ended, Ame successfully secured a job in a charity shop, merchandising, working on the till and providing customer service.
While three years ago, she envisioned a very different life for herself, she has readjusted her goals and has achieved so much in such a short space of time.