Stephane spent 3 months in prison

“My name is Stephane (18), and I am a gap year student at The Salmon Youth Centre. I was born in the Ivory Coast, but moved to the UK at the age of two. Life has not always been easy for me. At the age of 16, I played football for a team called ‘Shining Stars’. Football was my passion and distracted me from the temptation of crime. I dreamt of becoming a professional footballer.

But one day my coach was attacked. His brain was badly damaged and he was unable to coach us again. Soon after the accident, one of my teammates died and another ended up in prison. I got involved with the wrong type of people myself. While trying to help out my cousin, who was facing a difficult situation, I was arrested for attempted robbery. I was given a sentence of six months, and spent three months in prison.

As soon as I was out, I tried hard to find a job, but this turned out to be very difficult for someone with a criminal record. Fortunately, one of my friends introduced me to The Salmon Youth Centre, and I got offered a place in their gap year scheme. Being at Salmon has helped me to stay on my feet and give something back to the community. I am very good at making young people feel welcome and use football as a way of relating to them. My experience at Salmon will help me to build my CV, so that when I’m done, hopefully, I can go into youth work, catering or do something else.

If Salmon was not here, I would probably be reoffending again, go back to prison, or get killed. I thank Salmon today, because I really don’t know what would have happened to me if I didn’t know Salmon. Now I want to show other young people it is not too late; they can really make something out of their lives…”

Stephane, 18
Gapper