‘Her journey is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of hope’ – a student’s view of one of our clients

We are immensely proud of the role The New Futures Project plays in preparing social work students for life on the front line.

We offer 70 to 100-day placements to students from universities in Leicester and further afield, enabling them to work directly with the women and young people we support.

Each is supervised by a qualified social worker and is responsible for a caseload of up to 12 women or young people.

The students are confronted with the realities of the women’s lives – the corrosive effects of poverty and homelessness, mental ill-health, sexual abuse and exploitation, domestic violence and so on.

Debs has been both a client and a friendly face at the project since 2017.  A few months ago, she began working closely with one of our placement students, Nicoleta Lebada.

Debs, who has made huge progress dealing with her long-term drug and alcohol issues, was so impressed by Nicoleta’s professionalism and compassion, she asked us to write a story about her.

Debs, who now plays an active part in the life of the project as a member of our team of volunteers, tells us she was particularly touched by Nicoleta’s calm and understanding approach to her work, particularly around the emotive issue of Debs’ daughter.

Debs and her little girl are not together at the moment, however she hopes this will not always be the case.

“Every now and then, one of the students comes along and they are worth their weight in gold”, Debs said.

“I wanted to tell people about Nicoleta because she has been so special. She is very intelligent, caring and compassionate. She is an amazing person and she is going to be an amazing social worker.

Nicoleta, (left), and Debs

“I have been involved in the project almost seven years now and over that time so many students come and go.

“I mean they are all amazing in their own way but every now and again one stands out from the crowd. The first thing I said about Nicoleta was ‘She’s one of the good ones!’

“She had just started at the project when we sat and had such a deep and meaningful conversation about something that for years I have worried about –  something to do with my daughter.

“Nicoleta sat with me and I told her all about my worries and she said not to worry and explained some things to me – I’m not going to go into details, but she put my mind at ease.

“There and then we made a great connection. She makes you feel at ease and you know you can trust her and confide in her.

“Nicoleta has just got an amazing presence about her and you know that she’s got good intentions and she’s got a good heart and I know she will do amazing things in her life.

“I’m so grateful that I had the chance to cross paths with her. Thank you Nico.”

Nicoleta, who spent 70 days with us while she works toward a master’s degree in social work, said: “Debs is a person with lived experience whose story touched me deeply.

“What stands out most about Debs is her resilience and her unwavering commitment to helping others who find themselves in similar situations.

“Since joining the New Futures Project, she has become a significant figure, known for her dedication to the cause and her compassionate support for those in need.

“Her volunteer work at the project has made her a pillar of strength within the community. People respect and listen to her because they see the sincerity in her actions and the truth in her words.

“Debs’ encouragement to others to ‘fight their fight’ is not just a slogan. It is a testament to her belief that justice will ultimately prevail.

“Her journey is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of hope. She has not only survived her own pain but has also become a beacon of hope for others.

“Her story and her presence at the New Futures Project have been an inspiration to many, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to witness and support her on her journey.

 “Her impact on the project and the people she helps is immeasurable, and I am confident that she will continue to inspire and uplift those around her.”

Contact The New Futures Project on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk

You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.

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