Saad Deyoul

My life was completely a mess to begin with since year 7. I was lost and confused and didn't really care about the world... about my life or about anyone... I just wanted to do whatever was on my mind. I was a very bad influence and a very negative person.

I was only 13 and was getting arrested every now and then. I was very close on going to prison for a little while at such a young age, and eventually I got kicked out of my high school. I became even worse... I thought my life was over so I just kept messing about, and kept getting kicked out of different schools. I never thought about anything positive, I had so many family problems at home and became close to getting sent home back to Iraq (my home country).

Later on in life my youth worker from Connections introduced me to aman named Ali Abdul. He also works for connexions, but not as my youth worker. He spoke to me about how life really is; I was not interested, because I knew everything anyway and I didn't see any hope for me to find success in any way, but then he introduced me to this programme called the National Citizen Service, which has changed my life completely.

I initially did not want to get involved into the programme, but at first I did just because I wanted to show my team that worked with me that I appreciated their help.

I was not planning on changing my ways, but this programme has showed me that there is so much in life I can do. There are so many things out there; they have opened doors for me. Ali Abdul (my youth worker) was not allowing me to give up no matter what.

I could see that they were trying to make me walk in a straight line instead of going around in circles, and after meeting Dame Kelly and Tim Prendergast, I could see how they started off in their lives, how they became so successful and got what they wanted in life.

Seeing how hard their lives were made it look like it was not too late for me to make changes and start working on what I want to do in life. If I never met them, I know I would still be on roads making money illegally, fighting, full of negative things, with no trust, no respect, no success.

I am now willing to put my all in and try my best to open up a big car wash for charity. I am going to try my best to help everyone in life. I have learnt that it is never too late to work on what you want to do in life, so I am going to be trying my best to become a youth worker and help out the youths and make Harrow a better place, because I know how these hood guys really feel, and I know how to get them off the streets and start educating them and preparing them for success.

I will make Harrow a better place, and a place you would never be scared off living in it. Everyone deserves to smile. No one deserves the struggle no one deserves anything like that, so I'm going to make sure all these young people know what they are doing in life. I want to see prisons empty in the next couple generations.


Thank you for reading and taking interest in what I have to say.