Wear 25: Hospitality student Tolu's journey to first qualification and confident presenter

Hospitality student Tolu has made remarkable progress with the Foundation of Light’s Study Programme so far, earning her a Wear 25 Award.

Tolu, 19, has some complex learning needs which have caused her to struggle in traditional learning settings, meaning she came to the Foundation with very limited understanding. However, through her determination, positive attitude and willingness to engage, Tolu is starting to break through in her studies.

Tolu has embraced the opportunity to the learn and brings incredible enthusiasm to the classroom.

One of her proudest achievements came in February, when she passed her Functional Skills English qualification, the first qualification she had ever achieved during her time in education.

This achievement marked a significant milestone for Tolu, and since then, she has continued to work hard and commit to the course.

Her progress was showcased again in May when she took part in the Croda Challenge, an enterprise project giving learners the opportunity to develop and pitch a product idea to a panel of judges from Croda.

Tolu created and delivered a presentation for a brand-new perfume range, complete with matching gift sets, using a PowerPoint presentation to bring her ideas to life, as well as confidently answering questions from the judging panel. Her performance in the Croda Challenge would have been unimaginable for the Tolu who first joined the course.

Tolu's journey highlights how the right support, combined with determination and hard work, can help young people overcome barriers, build confidence and achieve things they may never have thought possible.

Foundation of Light’s Wear 25 Awards are recognising the progress of those who have been impacted by the charity’s programmes throughout its 25th anniversary year. To find out more about how to support the Foundation of Light’s work, head to: foundationoflight.co.uk/get-involved