I joined the Freedom project so I could meet more people and so that I could put some of my skills to good use. It really helps me to meet different people from different backgrounds, rather than just the same faces where I live. I also like the fact that Mustard Tree is a Christian organisation. There are a lot of people worse off than me, some without a roof over their head, and I wanted to help those kinds of people however I could.

Being on the Freedom Project and interacting with customers every day has built up my customer service skills very quickly. I was quite nervous at the start and didn’t know what to do, but I’ve been trained up in my customer service role, which has made me a lot more confident and able to help people.

I have also made lots of good relationships with my colleagues at Mustard Tree – the people here are really friendly and helpful. Suzi, my mentor, also helps when she comes in to see me each week. She is very supportive and helps with my confidence. I find her really approachable and she manages to communicate at the right level.

A judge once told me that I was a danger to the public. Now I’m face to face with the public, helping them regularly and proving who I really am to the powers that be. It is all helping me to be more ready for moving on and also for getting a job. My experience here will make me much more ready for a career. It will also help me to get out of the environment where I’m currently living, by showing the doctors and managers what I’m capable of.