Anthony’s story
At 14, Anthony was being bullied at school. At one point, some other students outed him as being gay to the rest of his year without his consent. As a result, Anthony's mental health started suffering. It wasn't until he was referred to one of our mental health and wellbeing drop ins that he finally felt seen and heard. Today Anthony has discovered that he loves sharing his voice and feels more confident in what he has to say.
Finding out
Finding out
Anthony was being bullied at school, and one of the bullies told everyone he was gay. The decision to tell people – or not – should have been Anthony’s to make.
“I never had the chance to come out as gay to anyone because I got outed by some people at school, then it spread through my entire year. I hadn’t told anyone, but they found out I had a boyfriend at the time.”
It took a huge toll on his mental health and self-esteem: a core part of his identity was reduced to school gossip. As Anthony says today, “I don’t think people realise how inhumane it is to completely take that decision away from someone.”
Anthony's struggles
“People were calling me slurs and making jokes that they thought were funny.”
I started receiving threats and I didn’t feel safe in my local area.
No one had the right to talk about his sexuality. Feeling totally overwhelmed by his situation, he started experiencing panic attacks. When he tried to get help, he was told he would have to wait for months. The noise – from the weight of the bullies’ actions – grew louder, and the pressure kept building and building.
Turning point
Turning point
But then Anthony was put in touch with us, where he could get support straightaway. From his first visit, he says, the pressure finally started to lift. He felt seen. Understood.
Every week, Anthony attended a 30-minute session to meet with our wellbeing practitioner. It was an opportunity for him to speak with someone safe, impartial and open to talking about whatever it was he needed to on any given day.
“It wasn’t forced. It was very open. It was about, ‘How can we support you personally?’ They didn’t turn anyone away. They’d see everyone. They knew how to understand...”
Helping hand
The way they listen is a big part of it.
For most of year ten, Anthony accessed the drop in and met with a wellbeing practitioner every week. Over time he noticed that he was starting to feel less anxious and more able to cope with the challenges he was facing.
“I’d love to see drop-in services available all over the country." “I’d love to see drop-in services available all over the country."
Sharing the load
Attending youth work sessions has led Anthony to become involved in our work where he was able to provide the perspective of a young person. He has fed into various sessions and activities to help keep young people’s voices at the heart of our work.
“If I was to talk with a young person who was thinking about coming to The Children’s Society for help, I’d start with reassurance because it‘s not like any other organisation. It's open and it's connected. It doesn’t just follow a script. It's about values. It's about valuing each other and respecting each other.”
Today, Anthony loves hanging out with his friends. They like to talk about films and just being in each other's company often feels like enough. Looking towards the future Anthony is excited to join a new group and his journey with The Children’s Society is forever evolving.
“The Children's Society has helped more than I honestly could have asked. It's not just who they are, there's so many things that they do, and that they're tied into, that helps young people.
The support helped me to feel accepted as who I am.
Anthony's story is true, but names and identifying details have been changed to protect identities. Photographs have been posed by actors.
Donate today
Will you help a child quiet the noise this Christmas?
Getting the right support at the right time can stop problems spiralling out of control. But, right now, millions of teenagers are feeling totally overwhelmed by the noise they face every day.
Please donate now. Your gift could help a young person like Anthony to quiet the noise – and find their peace this Christmas.
