'I'm so proud of how far I've come'

A TEESSIDE teenager has been awarded a King's Trust gong after overcoming tough hurdles and making strides towards her dream career.

- By ABIGAIL NICHOLSON [e-mail] @TeessideLive

Vicky, now 20, from Stockton, was suffering with borderline personality disorder, self-harm and was constantly in and out of hospital. Before joining the Archive Programme she said she felt like she had no purpose in life and was unable to think about her future.

Struggling to function most days, Vicky found direction and support in the King's Trust Achieve programme delivered by the Education Training Collective at Stockton Riverside College.

The course is aimed at helping young people re-engage with education. The programme not only helped Vicky better understand her struggles but empowered her to see beyond her mental health challenges to find her sense of purpose, build new skills and the self-belief that she could achieve academically and make something of herself.

Struggling with her mental health while on the programme, Vicky was hospitalised, yet remained determined to return to college and see it through, with support from staff and those around her.