Emily first came into contact with Llamau in January 2023. Attending a school in Llamau’s pioneering prevention of youth homelessness programme Upstream Cymru, Emily was identified as being at risk of homelessness. Emily had missed almost eighteen months of education. Living at home with her mum and siblings, Emily was incredibly withdrawn, struggling with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a sleep disorder, and the weight of hiding her identity as a transgender young person. She rarely left the house, avoided eye contact, and wore a face mask and hoodie to shield herself from the world.
Emily began weekly sessions with a Llamau support worker, initially at home and later in school. With their encouragement, Emily re-engaged with education, attending a school with neurodiverse experience and support. From almost zero attendance, she began going to school three days a week and sat her GCSEs.
Her support worker then supported Emily and her family to explore Llamau’s education programme. Despite initial hesitation, Emily settled quickly into the supportive environment, building confidence and thriving in her studies. This marked a turning point, Emily became more resilient, outgoing, and self-assured.
With Llamau’s continued support, Emily applied independently for college, where she has completed a Developing Games with Impact course and has moved on to an Animation course. She manages her health well, attends regularly, and has built strong friendships.
Today, Emily lives fully as herself, has legally changed her name, applied for her driving licence, and is planning for higher education.
Emily describes Llamau’s support as “empowering me to have a voice and to start living as a valued member of society.”
