DATING SHOW STAR KEEPING YOUTHS ON ‘Working with troubled kids is emotional, it will always affect you...’
ED GLEAVE A TAKE Me Out star’s day job helping troubled children is a world away from the glamour of television.
County Durham lass Becky Brewster, 25, is starring on the new run of the dating show.
But when she is not hearing “no likey, no lighty” from host Paddy McGuinness she is providing vital support to those in need.
Becky started support work when she was 16. She said: “I’ve volunteered a lot in the past, both in prison and with a youth offending team.
“I worked with people at risk of offending or those who had already offended. It was my job to help integrate them back into the community.
“It was rewarding and it was totally different from anything I’d ever done before.
“I am a big believer in the idea that it only takes one person to believe in somebody to help them be themselves and move forward to overcome difficulties.
“It’s not a job everyone could do because it can be quite emotional. It doesn’t matter how much experience you have, the job always touches you.”
The trainee social worker goes into children’s homes, helping youths aged up to 18 to get their lives back on track.
She said: “They have behavioural difficulties so it can be a challenging job. Not everyone would be able to do it. But I find it very rewarding and I really enjoy it.
“When you look at me it’s hard to believe I’d do things like this and that people would respond well to me. But they really do.
“I want to help people and support them to have better lives. You can change their life forever if you just believe in them.”
When Becky filmed Take Me Out the other girls were shocked to learn she had such a tough job.
She said: “They were a bit surprised but they were really interested in it. I think I’ve inspired some of them to do something similar.
“Doing Take Me Out is so different for me – I got to have my hair and make-up done!”
The show is on Saturday on ITV.