Recently, we caught up with Melanie, from Percy Hedley, who’s been making a real impact as part of The Key for 6 years. Melanie has been a facilitator for this time but has been supporting KEY+ groups for about 10 years.
From supporting powerful youth-led projects to helping build confidence in the young people she works with, Melanie is a brilliant example of what makes our facilitator network so special.
Favourite moments as a KEY+ Facilitator
Over her decade-long journey with The Key, Melanie has supported a range of incredible projects – and picking just one favourite wasn’t easy: “I have been a part of several amazing projects. One of my favourites for taking students on is a residential to the Calvert trust in Kielder but most recently it has been working with our police cadet students to support local toddler groups and help them purchase some new play mats and do a toy drive to get some pre-loved toys for them.”
You can read about this KEY+ group and their journey here:
For Melanie, it’s all about helping young people find their voice and realise their power: “I love to support our students to develop their ideas and support them to understand they can make a change. I also really enjoy being on the panel for other groups and seeing what amazing ideas everyone has come up with. I love to ask questions and support the development of self-esteem and confidence.”
Seeing the Transformation of Young People
One of the most rewarding parts of being a facilitator for Melanie is watching young people grow as they move through their KEY+ journey. Melanie said “I like using the skills wheel as it is a visual representative of how their skills have grown. I often see a growth in self-esteem and confidence.”
And that growth isn’t just about skills, it’s about empowerment too. Melanie said that The Key “empowers young people to make a difference in any way that matters to them. It also empowers them to support their communities in a fun and engaging way. It gives the students the confidence to step up and support their community.”
Melanie shared one story that really shows the impact that The Key and the KEY+ Challenge can have on an individual: “I supported a young lady who loved to socialise but mainly with staff due to her confidence and self-esteem. Being part of a KEY+ group meant she had to transfer her communication skills towards her peers rather than the staff team. She made some great friendships and relationships within the group and the confidence gained transferred into her college and sessions.”
Melanie then gave some key advice to anyone thinking about becoming a Key Facilitator or Key Member: “Absolutely do it. It is very rewarding, and you get to meet a lot of inspirational young people.”
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