Rebecca, 17, first arrived at YMCA Training in July 2009
to complete an apprenticeship in children's care, learning and
development.
Rebecca has a physical disability known as Ehlers-Danlos Hyper
Mobility Type, a tissue disorder affecting mobility and causing
great pain.
Due to her illness, Rebecca was only attending school 40% of the
time and was receiving multi-agency support from paediatricians and
physiotherapists. YMCA Training was invited to attend a care
meeting at Rebecca's school to discuss options for her future,
kick-starting Rebecca's transition to her apprenticeship.
Despite the barriers she faced, Rebecca completed her
apprenticeship in eleven months even though she could only attend
the programme on a part-time basis. She often worked on written
work and assessment in her own time, and achieved a staggering 98%
attendance rate.
Rebecca's future in childcare looks bright - she has now started
her advanced apprenticeship in children's care, learning and
development and has gained part-time employment at the Jigsaw Day
Nursery.
Karen Roberts, manager at YMCA Training Chester, said:
"Rebecca's story proves that if a young person wants to succeed,
they will overcome any obstacle put in their way. She is truly an
inspiration to her and to others."
Rebecca said: "Because of my disability I am unable to work
full-time but YMCA Training was really flexible in allowing me to
complete my course on a part-time basis. As long as I can remember
I have always wanted to work with children - I really enjoy working
and caring for them."