"When my mum and dad broke up it was hard for me, I didn't know what to do with myself. I was living with my dad, brother and sisters when my mum left, I admit now I went down the wrong path, I never worked, never went to school, none of that, doing stuff I now regret.
I had to step into the mum role. My younger brothers and sisters didn’t have any older women in their life as an influence apart from me and my sister Connie; they looked up to us. It was unexpected when mum left; I knew mum and dad were fighting, I didn’t know stuff was that serious but one thing led to another. All the stress at home made me feel alone, I had no one to talk to but I had to stay strong for my family. It’s made me stronger and wiser learning not to depend on anyone, people can walk in and out of your life in a matter of minutes. You can sit moping around but you have to think forward to the brighter future. Things happen and you have to get on with it.
I was given an opportunity to change when I met my boyfriend and got a place on Tomorrow's People. I got myself a job, got some great experiences and a lot of confidence about working life, I'm now about to move far away from where I live into a new house with my dad and family I can't wait to go and have a fresh start."
Portrait // Jessie, Dagenham, Essex. 17.
Jessie Outtake //