Barriers Teens trying to turn a corner despite struggles

WO Bristol teenagers have told how knife crime and mental health struggles led them to drop out of school with no GCSEs. The two 17-year-olds spoke about the barriers facing young people and why hundreds their age in Bristol are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

- Alex SEABROOK Local democracy reporter

Last month a committee at Bristol City Council heard how bad buses and blasé businesses played a role in the high number of young people not working or studying. Poor public transport means some people on the outskirts of the city struggle to access colleges or jobs, while getting work experience can also be difficult with many firms in the city reluctant to offer opportunities.

Mia was excluded from two schools but started doing the NEET programme with the Robins Foundation, the Bristol City FC charity, in January this year and has volunteered for an open day too.

She has been out of education since December last year. Her ideal career is becoming an air hostess, but there are obstacles getting in the way of her fulfilling that dream.

She said: “I got kicked out of mainstream school in Year 10, and then probably three months into Year 11 I stopped going to school.

“I was with this boy and I wanted to go to South Bristol Skills College. He went there. When we broke up I went a bit cuckoo so there were safeguarding issues. I’m not allowed at that college at all.