Success Stories

The Challenge

When Jamie first began mentoring, he was experiencing significant emotional distress. He often felt overwhelmed by his thoughts and emotions, struggled with anxiety and overthinking, and found it difficult to manage anger and stressful situations.

Jamie is neurodivergent and found that ADHD and autism could sometimes intensify his emotions and make everyday pressures feel difficult to manage. Sleep, self-confidence and relationships with others were also affecting his wellbeing.

Although Jamie had supportive people around him, he needed something different: a consistent, trusted adult outside his immediate family who would listen without judgement and help him make sense of what he was experiencing.

Our Approach

Jamie received regular one-to-one mentoring built around trust, consistency and his individual needs.

Rather than using complicated clinical language, sessions focused on practical conversations and strategies Jamie could understand and use in everyday life.

Together, Jamie and his mentor worked on:

• recognising emotional triggers and early warning signs
• understanding overthinking and difficult thought patterns
• developing strategies to pause before reacting
• building healthier ways of managing stress
• improving confidence and emotional awareness
• setting realistic personal goals
• navigating friendships and challenging situations
• identifying positive activities and relationships that supported his wellbeing

Physical activity was also an important part of Jamie’s progress. Fitness provided structure, a positive outlet for stress and an opportunity to build confidence.

Where appropriate, communication with Jamie’s family and wider support network helped ensure that the people around him were working together.

The Difference

Over time, Jamie became noticeably calmer, more confident and better able to understand his emotions.

He learned to recognise situations that could overwhelm him and developed practical strategies to manage them. Emotional setbacks became shorter and more manageable, and his ability to pause, reflect and choose a healthier response improved significantly.

There were positive changes at school too. Jamie became more focused and engaged in lessons, while difficulties with behaviour reduced.

His relationships also improved. He became more aware of which friendships were positive for him and learned to distance himself from situations that negatively affected his wellbeing.

Perhaps most importantly, Jamie began recognising his own progress.

Instead of feeling controlled by his emotions, he developed a stronger sense that he could understand them, manage difficult moments and make positive choices.

Why Mentoring Matters

Jamie’s experience demonstrates why early intervention and trusted relationships are central to Leeds Wellbeing Project CIC.

Young people do not always need someone to give them the answers. Sometimes they need someone who will consistently show up, listen, understand their world and help them develop the skills to find their own way forward.

Our mentoring programmes provide boys and young men with a safe, relatable space to talk about what is happening in their lives while developing confidence, resilience and practical coping strategies.

The goal is not simply to help a young person through a difficult period. It is to give them tools, relationships and confidence that can continue supporting them long after mentoring ends.

From feeling overwhelmed and struggling to manage everyday pressures, Jamie developed greater emotional awareness, improved engagement at school, healthier relationships and increased confidence in his ability to manage future challenges.

*Name and identifying details have been changed to protect the young person’s privacy.