A woman has described how an organisation changed her life for the better at an early age.

Bryonie Ellis says that a Swindon-based charity for young people, STEP, gave her lifelong support and friendships.

She said: “Without STEP, my life would be very, very different. I probably would not be as happy as I am now. I would have struggled in a lot of areas.

“It is an important tool and I think a lot of children would be lost without it.”

STEP provides a safe and supportive environment for seven to 18-year-olds experiencing social isolation.

READ MORE: Former STEP charity user says it gave her best teenage years

(Image: Dave Cox)

A 10-year-old Bryonie was referred to the charity by her school, where bullying and low confidence meant she was failing to attend frequently.

At STEP she attended weekly evening sessions. This included girls' groups to meet new people and activities like bowling or trips away.

Although the sessions were fun, it went deeper than this: “It gave you that understanding that it is okay to sometimes feel a bit down and feel those feelings.

“You were in a position of where people were in the same place as you, feeling the same things. It gave you somewhere where you felt like you belonged.”

Bryonie’s confidence grew and she was nominated for Pride of Swindon and joined Youth Forum. Here she was involved in giving the youth voice in local authority decisions. 

“It gave me the confidence and friendships that I needed outside of the school environment”, Bryonie said.

“I think STEP as a whole really changed my life’s direction. It gave me confidence in myself to believe that you can do anything.

“In the long term, I probably would have been quite lonely, quite isolated and actually they changed that around for me and gave me opportunities to open up to a lot more.”

It was at Youth Forum that Bryonie met Hayley, with whom she has remained friends ever since.

The social skills she learned has also remained with her, allowing her to have the confidence to work in hairdressing and more recently with SEN children.

She said: “They [STEP staff] still recognize me if I see them in the street and stop and speak. You're not just a number, you are a person.

“From their point of view, it doesn't matter who you are, what you are, what you believe in. 

“You're always welcome through that door and they try their best to support and encourage you.”