‘A few months ago I didn’t think I would still be here today’

A YEAR ago Leon had no idea where to turn.

He had a criminal record, no prospects, and no idea what he was going to do next.

Now, he can walk past the city’s biggest redevelopment project and say he is playing his part.

Leon joined The Wallich’s “Boss” project when he came to Cardiff and through that, he has secured a job with ISG at Two Central Square.

Without the job he now has, Leon says he would either be in prison or dead.

He has nothing but praise for his mentor, Nick Checker. In the year they’ve been working together, Nick has been more than just a boss. He’s been a confidant and helper when it’s all got too much for Leon.

The journey hasn’t been easy and both Nick and Leon admit there have been ups and downs.

Leon says there have been about four occasions he considered quitting in the past year. But the support of his team means he has stuck it out.

Leon remembers arriving at the site for the first day.

“I was just so happy to have a job. I had told myself that within six months I wanted accommodation and then a job and I’ve done that. A few months ago I didn’t think I would be here today,” he said.

Leon was an only child with a sick mum and a dad he didn’t really know. He was a young carer giving his mum insulin injections at the age of five.

He was academically gifted and tells a story about a teacher telling him he was reading “too much” and jumping ahead of his classmates too quickly. That happened when he was about eight.

From there he switched off. He joined the wrong crowd and left school without any qualifications.

He got a job at a local leisure centre until he was 18 but was then made redundant. He turned to drugs and when his mum died in 2009, “my head went”.

“I would have killed someone for £5. I didn’t care about anyone or myself,” he said. “I knew I shouldn’t be robbing people for their money or their drugs.”

In 2012, he was jailed. He and friends had broken into an outbuilding where they knew cannabis was being grown. Leon got greedy and returned to the premises a second time. Within seconds of getting inside he saw blue lights outside and was arrested. He refused bail and admitted burglary with intent to steal.

Leon said he knew he needed that time in prison. He didn’t have a permanent or settled home when he got out so followed his girlfriend to Cardiff. He says the help he has had from The Wallich has saved his life.

Leon got his job with ISG after helping launch the Boss project at an event last year. Boss stands for Building Opportunities, Skills and Success.

The project aims to reintegrate exoffenders into their communities by giving them the skills, qualifications, job and volunteering opportunities and confidence they need to gain employment or set up enterprise.

The charity sees a link between having a criminal record and being homeless. It is only a year old but 622 people have already been referred to the scheme and the waiting list sits at 300.

Through the scheme, 109 people have found jobs and more have completed training courses.