“I can control my anger” one young woman’s experience of The Juno Project

L is one of the participants in our community wellbeing workshops. She is 15 years old and lives in West Sussex with her mum, brother, and sister.

L was referred to The Juno Project by her Early Help Worker. This is a resource available to families when they find difficulties emerging, such as relationship breakdowns, poor mental health, or alcohol or drug use, to provide support early.

L says that at the time she was referred, she was facing many challenges. She had a lack of confidence and body image issues, and felt a lot of anger, resentment, and lack of control. School wasn’t working for her.

“I didn’t feel like anyone really understood me, and I didn’t really understand myself,” she says.

L says that, to cope, she turned to vaping, misbehaving, self-harming, being defiant, including punching walls and taking drugs.

“I was drawn to it, and thought I’d give it a try,” says L of her drug use.

L’s experience echoes that of the young women who responded to our survey last year, with 68% saying they didn’t feel heard.

Meeting The Juno Project

Facilitators at our schools and community-based sessions tackle the pressing issues that young women, like L, are facing today. These include:

Mental health – Many young women struggle with anxiety, stress, and emotional wellbeing.

Body image and eating well – Pressure to look a certain way is a major concern.

Friendships and close relationships – Navigating social interactions can be challenging.

Dealing with sexism and unwanted sexual attention – Many girls experience discrimination or harassment.

Confidence and planning for the future – Many struggle with self-belief and setting goals.

Being listened to and feeling like they can make a difference in their community – Girls want their voices to matter.

Technology and staying safe online – Social media and digital spaces come with risks that many young women need help navigating.

Looking to the future

L says that since joining The Juno Project sessions, she feels better about herself and about her future.

“The Juno product has helped me. I can control my anger more. I can see my future brighter. I have found more confidence in myself and made better choices.”

It’s also had an impact on her relationships.

“It’s made them stronger with some people and weaker with others. I liked all of them; they helped how I felt about myself because I had someone who understood and listened, who didn’t judge or use my actions against me. They were free from judgement.”

L has started thinking about what she wants to do when she leaves school and says that being part of The Juno Project has helped her think more clearly about it.

“I wanna be a chef or lash tech. It’s helped me with my confidence and concerns and control, so now I really think I can achieve it.”