YWCA - Your stories

What we do

Your stories

Bubblees: Young mums have always got a bad press. People assume we are all single, skint and useless. I had my daughter when I was 17. I am still with her father and even though we have our problems we take parenting and responsibility for her very seriously. We love being parents and have our own house council... more

Don't get into debt

Don't get into debt: "I'm on benefits and everything just seemed to get really, really tight. All these people were emailing me about loans and they was... more

I can't win

Cassie: I'm 17 and I recently moved into a hostel. I applied for benefits about a week ago because I'm living on £30 a week. I find the hostel... more

Any job would do Sammy: I don't really know what I want to do in the future. I've applied for a few shop jobs but haven't found any work. I just need a chance to get... more
Appalling careers advice Jo: The careers advice I got at school was appalling. I had one interview with a careers advisor and that was it. At the end of the interview he... more
Painting her future Hazel: I did a college course in painting and decorating. I thought about hair and beauty but there isn't really any money in it and so many women ... more
Unfair pay between men and women Anna: My boyfriend’s a plumber and he was on much more money than me when I was an apprentice. He’s still on double what I was on. He was on £... more
My step-dad abused me Jasmine: My step-dad mentally, physically and sexually abused me. He used to hit me, do stuff to me and mess with my head. I used to cry all the time... more
I'm just like any other mum Gemma: I have an 11-month-old son called Ellis. I fell pregnant with him when I was 14. When I went for my scan the lady scanning me told me I should... more
Generations of love and learning Karen: I had my son 26 years ago when I was just 14. My mother and father were both working class and extremely moralistic so they decided that the... more
I am not a slapper Sarah: I was 15 when I had my daughter, and I am fed up with people thinking that because I had my daughter so young that I am a slapper and on drugs... more