Meet Dylan*. Dylan joined No Limits in Oxfordshire when he was 19, having not received formal education since he was 13. He had a passion for art, but could not share his work with others, as he was not able to speak with people he didn’t know or trust.
Dylan lived at home with family, but was quite reclusive and spent a lot of time alone in his room. In order to build trust with Dylan, we walked rescue dogs from the local animal shelter, which was perfect for building a connection, and a trusting relationship.
Working with Dylan’s interest in animals, he slowly came out of his shell, through looking after and riding horses in the local stables. He gradually spent more time in college and with more people. With some encouragement, he displayed his work for everyone to enjoy and he received some lovely feedback, which boosted his confidence.
In his final year, he spent more and more time in class in the main college, as well as busier and more social areas such as the library and canteen. By the end of the year, he enrolled into maths and English courses, leaving No Limits with a newfound independence and confidence he would be able to gain accredited qualifications.
Dylan’s parents wanted to share their experience:
Dylan loved his time with MAP, it was so sad when it ended. I believe it built his confidence to do things and go places without me. He learnt to trust other people and had great relationships with his peers, where he learnt to embrace his art work and actually believe the compliments he got.
*Name changed
