Ashley's Story
Ashley has been a member of the YWCA since she was 9 years old, and is still involved with the organisation 17 years later! She started out attending the Junior Girls Group in Livingston and has gone on to volunteer, set up her own groups, represent the YWCA at national events and speak to large groups of people about her journey with YWCA Scotland. We are all so proud of everything Ashley has achieved, and are pleased to be able to share her story!
The following is an extract from Ashley’s presentation at the YWCA GB Conference.
My Story with the YWCA
I was very shy and withdrawn as a child and my mother decided that it would be beneficial for me to get involved with a local youth group, so I could make friends and take part in different activities. I began attending clubs every week at the YWCA in Livingston when I was 9 years old.
As I got older I began to help out at the Girls Clubs, became involved in fundraising and attended meetings. I have also been involved at a national level, unveiling the new logo for YWCA Scotland, and in 2003 taking part in a fashion show in Edinburgh with ‘Y’ members from all over Scotland to celebrate Positive Body Image for women of all shapes and sizes. I have really enjoyed meeting young women from other YWCAs as it makes me feel part of a larger organisation which has a real voice.
In 2004 I became a mum, and remain involved with the YWCA through the Young Mums group. I have found this to be very useful as we are all supportive of each other as first-time mums. We have a lot of activities in the group and have recently completed a ‘Get Cooking’ course which taught us how to prepare healthy meals without them costing a fortune!
My son is now 6 years old and over the years I have remained a member and volunteer at the Mums Group. I have also set up many groups of my own in the centre, such as a driving theory course, a keep-fit club and a money-saving class.
I am now 26 and attending college to study social care, I aim to continue studying the subject at university in the future.
I really enjoy being part of the YWCA and feel that I have benefited greatly from being a member as it has kept me off the streets, given me many opportunities and allowed me to meet lots of new people. I feel that being involved in the YWCA has helped me to be more confident and able to do the things I want to do, and I am proud to be able to give something back by volunteering with the organisation.
