Legacy Youth Zone changes lives

Mohammed is a senior member of the youth zone who moved to the UK from Senegal with a very limited understanding of English. With the help of staff at Legacy, he and his sister Astou have been able to learn English and begin building rewarding and happy lives in England.

• Mohammed and his sister Astou moved from Senegal to England in February 2023, and have since spent time at Legacy Youth Zone, learning English, being assisted in their education and building social confidence. Legacy volunteers Rose and Patricia have been particularly key in supporting the siblings.
• The support provided by Legacy has been instrumental in enabling Mohammed and his sister to succeed in their studies and go on to secure good jobs and college placements. Mohammed got a job as a kitchen porter, and more recently has been promoted to grill chef.

Legacy Youth Zone in Croydon is a part of the OnSide network of youth zones. Legacy is focused on providing a fun and safe space for young people in Croydon between the ages of 8-19 (or up to 25 with additional needs), to encourage positive socialisation, skill building and participation in fun activities. Young people at Legacy are able to access an excellent support network, ensuring that the needs of every child are met. Membership at Legacy costs just £5 a year, and 50p per visit, and allows access to over 20 activities, hosted in spaces such as Legacy’s state-of-the-art gym, kitchen, recording studio and MUGA pitch.

The story of Mohammed and his sister is evidence of the great work Legacy does. The siblings, who moved to the area from Senegal in 2023, have spent considerable time at Legacy over the last two years, building up an understanding of the English language, creating connections with people in their new local area, and getting involved in the fun activities Legacy has to offer. Legacy was able to begin helping them before they had a school place, quickly becoming cemented as a safe learning environment for them. On top of that, Mohammed has enjoyed getting involved in sports at Legacy, with a particular passion for football.

The support of Legacy, particularly volunteer staff members Rose and Patricia who supported their language learning, has meant that Mohammed has been able to study successfully at Croydon College, and get a rewarding role as a grill chef at Leydi, a restaurant by St Paul’s in London. Legacy has played a big role in empowering Mohammed and his sister to be successful, kind and active members of society.

Legacy Youth Zone has posted Mohammed’s story on its YouTube channel, sharing his story as a demonstration of how Legacy can support young people not only through its usual services, but also by going above and beyond to tailor support to the needs of specific individuals. It is also demonstrative of the environment at Legacy being conducive to these young people gaining a real passion and drive to succeed. The work of Legacy’s volunteers, such as Rose and Patricia, is highly valued and completely essential to the way Legacy functions.

You can listen to Mohammed’s story here - youtube.com/watch?v=RSUsZ7zsnvg