Cayden was nominated by Paul Wright, our Kicks Targeted Co-ordinator, for his great commitment and wonderful personality during the Kicks Targeted programme.

Paul said,

‘I first started to engage with Cayden, in October 2022, after he was referred onto the programme. Although he was tough to engage with at first, building a positive rapport and trust has been key to Cayden opening up and taking a step in the right direction.'

'The positive rapport that has been built, allows us to talk about topics, that we couldn’t have spoken about earlier in our engagement.' 'Cayden is a massive football fan, and he will quite often talk about football when we meet, which allows him to then open up and speak about other topics and areas of concern. Cayden quite often spoke about wanting to join a football team, as he had once been a member of a local team and said that he really enjoyed it.'

'I made a few enquiries with various football leagues and some teams myself, gaging whether there would be an opportunity for Cayden to join a local team. After gathering some information, I was hopeful that Cayden could look to join a team. However, when I next met with Cayden, he informed me that he had already joined a team. The fact that Cayden had used his own initiative and confidence to make some enquiries of his own – was a huge step in the right direction, given how shy he was.’ A meeting was set up between Paul, Cayden’s mum and relevant school representatives where she revealed she had been attending many training courses that have given her new skills which she has since been able to implement around the home and with her children.

She was also delighted to share comments that she had received at a recent parents evening, where teachers spoke highly of Cayden, giving feedback on how well he was doing in school and applying himself in such a positive manner. You could sense how proud mum was and it was clear how much this meant to her, to hear of her son behaving in such a positive way despite some of the struggles they faced.

Nicole, Cayden’s social worker said,

‘Cayden is a very caring young man who supports his mother through periods of ill health. His mother said that there had been an occasion where Cayden had “saved her life” when she was really poorly.’‘He is great with his younger brothers and takes on a caring role with them. Cayden supports and encourages them to grow and develop. He works hard in school, and this has now been reflected during a recent parents evening where he was praised for his efforts. His mum could not be prouder of Cayden and he is a credit to himself and his family.’

Due to Cayden's engagement on the Kicks Targeted programme, he has developed life skills that he can apply in real situations in a mature manner and support those closest to him.

Cayden has grown in confidence, which has allowed him to be a better son and brother, whilst also starting to believe that with hard work and determination, he can achieve many things in the future ahead. Academically, Cayden has worked hard to achieve his potential, and this has been such a pleasure to witness.

Alongside his nomination, Cayden also received praise from the Police as he offered vital information and evidence in a recent anti social behaviour incident. Alongside a personal letter from the Police Officer who Cayden helped, he also received a special coin from the Matrix Roads Policing Department, to highlight how much of a model citizen he has been.

Congratulations Cayden!