‘I was a kid carrying around this massive secret...’
It took time for Dylan to realise that his childhood wasn’t normal; that his friends hadn’t experienced the same things as him. He didn’t know who he could tell, and was frightened to speak out. But as he grew older, Dylan knew he couldn’t keep what had happened to him a secret any longer.
‘Me and other children were involved with sexual abuse and emotional abuse all the way through growing up.’
It took courage for Dylan to talk about what had happened to him. He didn’t know if he was to blame; if the abuse he’d suffered was somehow his fault. But then other young children like him started to come forward. When the authorities got involved, suddenly Dylan was being asked to testify as a witness against his abusers.
‘I had to give evidence against them. Have their lawyers cross examine me, one at a time. I just wanted it to stop in that moment’
That’s when Dylan took an overdose. But after reaching his lowest point, he began to recover and found the strength to carry on. He decided he was going to do everything he could to try and live his life. He enrolled in The Prince’s Trust’s Team Programme and from there, things began to turn around:
‘What changed in those 12 weeks is that they make you realise that you are actually good at something. They want the best for you. They care about you. They want you to achieve as much as you want to achieve.’
Dylan learned about teamwork, team building, communication, and started helping staff to deliver the programme and to support young people.
‘I’ve stayed with The Prince’s Trust and I want to continue because I’ve seen it change my life. I actually wake up looking forward to the day.’
Dylan now works full time as learning mentor for The Prince’s Trust and no longer regards his life as a secret to be kept. The Prince’s Trust helped him get the skills and confidence he needed to move on with his life. And when you enter the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, you could help The Prince’s Trust support more young people like Dylan. You could also have the chance to win a Cotswolds forever home worth over £2,500,000.
Enter now.
