In the future I'd love to own my own business and be my own boss. I'm not afraid of working hard, but for such a long time, this dream has felt so far away. I've come up against so many barriers and at some points I've felt completely helpless. I'm finally in a better place and I'm determined to take the next step so that I can have the future I want for me and my son.
In my late teens I became aware that I didn't have the correct documentation in order to work here. My family came to the UK from Jamaica and although I've called the UK home since I was a child, not having a British passport meant that I've had to go through years of processes in order to get the right papers. The process has not been simple or cheap and I've had to rely on friends and family to support me throughout. I'm still not entitled to access the benefits system so now that my son is school age, I'm trying to get back into stable work.
I'm currently working a few hours a week doing cleaning but I'd love to find something that puts me in a better financial position. Having more hours means being able to provide for my son without worrying about every purchase I make. It's been such a long journey up to this point that I'm ready to put everything into making it work now. In the future I'd love to study and get some more qualifications to make up for the past.