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A volunteer who gave his own time to help raise the aspirations of the young unemployed is off to Buckingham Palace after being selected as one of The Prince's Trust's Young Ambassadors.
Paul O'Sullivan was chosen to represent the charity after he was inspired to start a new career by his own experience of the Prince's Trust Team programme.
"I didn't expect any of this," said the 25-year-old from Newton Aycliffe who is now working as a Prince's Trust Assistant Team Leader with Stockton Riverside College.
"When I decided to do the course it was because I had done it once before and enjoyed it, so I knew it would help to build my confidence."
A 12-week personal development scheme, The Prince's Trust Team programme offers young unemployed people the chance to build their skills and increase their future employment chances by taking part in a variety of tasks and challenges.
Having previously worked as a carer for five years Paul said that he returned to the Team programme after his zero hour contract became zero hours.
He explained: "I thought back to the time in my life when I had been most passionate and most happy and realised it had been on the Prince's Trust course."
Signing up to one of the Team programmes delivered by Stockton Riverside College, Paul found his past experience led him to help and support his fellow Team mates.
When the 12 week course came to an end he volunteered to stay on and lend a hand with further Teams.
"Even at that time I never dreamed I would get the chance to do this for a living," he said.
But when a vacancy came up as an assistant team leader with the college seven months later Paul took a punt and was delighted to get the job.
Now stunned to be chosen as a Prince's Trust Young Ambassador and looking forward to his visit to Buckingham Palace, he said: "I guess you could call me a Prince's Trust true-believer. From my own experience I wholeheartedly believe in the charity and the work that it does.
"I believe and have seen the difference it can make in people's lives, including my own."
Stockton Riverside College delivers The Prince's Trust Team programme at several locations across the region, for details visit: www.stockton.ac.uk/princes-trust/
Paul O'Sullivan was chosen to represent the charity after he was inspired to start a new career by his own experience of the Prince's Trust Team programme.
"I didn't expect any of this," said the 25-year-old from Newton Aycliffe who is now working as a Prince's Trust Assistant Team Leader with Stockton Riverside College.
"When I decided to do the course it was because I had done it once before and enjoyed it, so I knew it would help to build my confidence."
A 12-week personal development scheme, The Prince's Trust Team programme offers young unemployed people the chance to build their skills and increase their future employment chances by taking part in a variety of tasks and challenges.
Having previously worked as a carer for five years Paul said that he returned to the Team programme after his zero hour contract became zero hours.He explained: "I thought back to the time in my life when I had been most passionate and most happy and realised it had been on the Prince's Trust course."
Signing up to one of the Team programmes delivered by Stockton Riverside College, Paul found his past experience led him to help and support his fellow Team mates.
When the 12 week course came to an end he volunteered to stay on and lend a hand with further Teams.
"Even at that time I never dreamed I would get the chance to do this for a living," he said.
But when a vacancy came up as an assistant team leader with the college seven months later Paul took a punt and was delighted to get the job.
Now stunned to be chosen as a Prince's Trust Young Ambassador and looking forward to his visit to Buckingham Palace, he said: "I guess you could call me a Prince's Trust true-believer. From my own experience I wholeheartedly believe in the charity and the work that it does.
"I believe and have seen the difference it can make in people's lives, including my own."
Stockton Riverside College delivers The Prince's Trust Team programme at several locations across the region, for details visit: www.stockton.ac.uk/princes-trust/
