Prince’s Trust

Canadian Ariana participated in the Women in Tech Pitch Challenge. Her fascination with technology began when she discovered a passion for video game design at school. But at 17, her life took a path she did not expect. Instead of applying for college with her friends, Ariana found herself living in a shelter.

Through hard work and with the right support, Ariana was able to stabilise her housing situation and find service and retail sector jobs, but she felt discouraged about her prospects and unsure what the future held. When a learning opportunity at one of her jobs arose, Ariana seized it immediately and quickly excelled. She was soon in charge of digital orders for the store and her passion for tech was reignited. She started looking into free training and opportunities that could improve her knowledge.

That’s when Ariana found The King’s Trust Canada and KPMG’s Women in Tech Pitch Challenge. “I was there in KPMG’s lobby. There were all these men in suits, and I felt like an imposter, but I made myself get in the elevator. I’m so glad I did. Everyone at the event was so welcoming and warm. I felt like I can do this. I belong.”

At the event, Ariana received mentorship, guidance and skill building experiences but most importantly she had the opportunity to be part of a community of like-minded young women. The programme boosted her confidence, helping her overcome shyness and anxiety and recommit to her passion for technology. She also discovered a sense of belonging and empowerment that she hadn’t felt before, and she found new friends and a network.

18 year old Kory joined the ‘Team’ programme in the UK. Prior to participating, he was not in education and did not have any qualifications, aspirations or self-belief. Kory also has ADHD and Autism. He explains: “I struggled when I first got on Team – meeting new people, taking part in activities that were unfamiliar, it was a lot. The Team Leader Ashleigh really supported me, she was patient.”

“After a few days I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. I started to show up early every day when it was quieter. I started to relax and enjoy myself.”

“I began to open up about my feelings and pushed myself each day – getting involved with fundraising for our community project or taking part in team challenges. People in the group started to come to me for advice and I would go to them too which was a good feeling. My personality started to come through – I was laughing a lot more and helping to boost morale in our group.”

Since finishing the programme, Kory now has the confidence to work towards his goals and has begun to study welding and fabricating at college. He is also planning to study for GCSEs in Maths and English. Kory was presented with the Breakthrough Award at the England Finals of The Prince’s Trust Awards 2024.