Donna's story

Donna is 16 and from Kirkby on Merseyside. She stopped going to school last year because she felt ignored and so became more and more detached from the lessons.

She says: “I couldn’t be bothered with school. I never got any attention from the teachers and I couldn’t be bothered. I used to get into trouble messing around in lessons and get sent out. I didn’t think about my qualifications or my future at all.”

Eventually she stopped going altogether. She was referred to YWCA to do an alternative education course. She is continuing to learn but now she’s in an environment that suits her better.

“At school you have to go to the lessons and sit down with people you don’t like and stuff like that, and like the teachers pay attention to the loud ones. But here everyone is [treated] the same.”

She finds it easier to concentrate and learn at YWCA: “I feel more comfortable and can say what I’m feeling. I can get on with your work but still talk to people.”

Now she is recognised as an individual and feels taken notice of. Donna says that she has changed since coming to YWCA: “It’s given me more confidence.”

Now Donna wants to get qualified, go to college and eventually become a youth worker.

 Read other young women's stories.