Matthew first came to KYTHE drop-in sessions when he was in his first year at high school aged 11 years old. As we got to know Matthew, it was clear that he was struggling with his mental health and had little self-confidence.
When he spoke with the team, Matthew had little self-confidence, often looking at the floor with his head down. He spoke about how school caused him stress, as he struggled academically, but excelled in practical subjects. He felt like the school just didn’t ‘get him’, which caused him to feel ‘stupid’, with performance reviews and “cause for concerns” being issued to his parents.
Struggling with his own mental health and at an all-time low after losing a close friend in January 2021 to suicide, Matthew took up KYTHE’s offer of a Walk and Talk, during the second pandemic lockdown. He was able to share his grief and his struggles with someone who would listen, without judgement and who could offer words of comfort and encouragement.
In partnership with the school and local council, KYTHE offered a week of Outdoor Education for S4+ pupils with no clear path, after their time at high school. Matthew shone during these sessions, with natural leadership skills, for example, leading the group during long and tiresome gorge walking, and having a first up/first down attitude when abseiling down a steep crag. As he completed all the week’s activities, his confidence grew day by day!
The young people on the Outdoor Education programme completed a Dynamic Youth Award (equivalent to a National3 qualification). This changed Matthew’s opinion of himself showing that ‘smart’ doesn’t just mean ‘academic’.
He also completed a Level 4 course in Employability and Enterprise. Matthew had planned to leave school as soon as possible at the end of S4, but then decided to stay at school for S5 to gain a few more qualifications before leaving.
With help from KYTHE, Matthew applied for college, and despite his worries about gaining the necessary entry levels, he is now attending Perth College UHI studying Sport and Fitness, in an education style that he “gets” and makes sense to him. He has found what makes him happy.
Matthew describes KYTHE as “a Place of Joy”, “You were just there for me, always. No matter what it was that I was going through there was someone who cared and someone who would listen to me.”
Now aged 17 years, Matthew’s story is a positive one about what a young person is capable of doing with an influx of self-confidence and self-esteem in their life.