Everybody has a different journey, and each one is full of ups and downs.
Angela knows that better than many. She was taken from her home at a young age and sexually exploited. When she was brought to London, she managed to escape – but she didn't get the help she deserved, and she ended up on the streets. A stranger eventually gave her refuge and encouraged her to register for the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for survivors of modern slavery. After she registered, she was moved to a safe house. But when her case went to the Home Office, she received Negative CG (which means there was no conclusive proof she had experienced modern slavery, and therefore would get no more help from the government). So many ups, followed by so many downs.
But then the ups started to outnumber the downs. The Restore project at Jericho supported Angela into accommodation and with a weekly donation for food. She made a new friend and joined our workshops.
Her personality was loud and infectious from the beginning. Her laughter quite literally lit up a room, and she brought joy to everyone she was around.
After her eight weeks of Workshops, she transitioned to coaching. Initially, she wanted to go into hairdressing – but most hairdressers with available placements were linked with colleges, which made it next to impossible for her to secure work experience.
But Angela's commitment never wavered. She built up her CV, went to Enrichment and Community Day events, and eventually discovered an interest in interior design.
Along the way, Angela agreed to speak at a Sophie Hayes Foundation event on Anti-Slavery Day. It proved a huge success – not just for the people she inspired, but for Angela herself. It gave her a huge boost to her morale, strengthened her mental well-being, and gave her the confidence to seek trauma-sensitive support to assist her appeal. It was a real spark moment – and it's taking her onwards and upwards.
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