I AM NOT MY PAST
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From Supported Accommodation to Independent Living: Paula’s Journey of Resilience, Creativity and Hope
Every Young Person Has a Story Worth Telling
At Genuine Futures, we believe every young person has potential.
Sometimes all they need is the right support, meaningful opportunities and people who genuinely believe in them.
Paula’s story is a powerful example of what can happen when those things come together.
Today, Paula is a valued Youth Ambassador, Creative Lead and emerging artist working across Genuine Futures, Clean Futures and the Urban Futures Collective. Her artwork is helping shape campaigns, inspire conversations and challenge perceptions about young people who have experienced adversity.
But her journey has not always been straightforward.
Like many young people transitioning into adulthood, Paula has experienced uncertainty, instability and moments when the future felt unclear.
What makes her story remarkable is not the challenges she faced, but the determination she has shown in overcoming them.
Taking the First Steps Towards Independence
For many young people, moving into independent living is an exciting milestone.
For others, it can feel overwhelming.
Managing a tenancy, paying bills, maintaining routines, attending appointments and creating a life independently are responsibilities many people take for granted.
For young people leaving supported accommodation, these challenges can be even greater.
While living in temporary accommodation and being supported by Backup North West, Paula began her transition towards independent living.
The support she received created stability during a critical period in her life and provided the foundations needed to move forward with confidence.
Today, Paula has her own flat and is using her creativity and lived experience to inspire other young people facing similar challenges.
Like many young people, Paula was searching for direction, purpose and a place where she felt she belonged.
That search eventually led her to Genuine Futures.
Finding More Than a Programme
When Paula first became involved with Genuine Futures, our focus was never simply about employability, qualifications or training.
We wanted to understand the person behind the story.
What were her interests?
What were her strengths?
What were her ambitions?
It quickly became clear that Paula possessed a talent that had not yet been fully recognised.
She was an artist.
Behind her quiet nature was someone with a powerful imagination, a unique perspective and a desire to express herself creatively.
As she became involved in projects, community activities and youth-led initiatives, Paula’s confidence steadily began to grow.
She started contributing ideas.
She started sharing her creativity.
Most importantly, she started believing in herself.
Paula Yates
Youth Ambassador and Creative Lead, Genuine Futures
“For a long time, I didn’t really know what I was good at or where I fitted in. Genuine Futures gave me opportunities to try new things, meet new people and start believing in myself. Art became a way of expressing feelings that I couldn’t always put into words.”
The Artwork That Started Conversations
One of Paula’s most powerful pieces of artwork is titled:
I AM NOT MY PAST
The artwork depicts two sides of a face, representing the contrast between past experiences and future possibilities.
Chains symbolise the struggles and challenges many young people carry with them, while flowers, birds and vibrant colours represent growth, healing and hope.
The message is simple but incredibly powerful.
Your past may shape you, but it does not define you.
The piece has become an important part of Paula’s creative journey and forms part of the developing Urban Futures Collective, a youth-led arts initiative designed to inspire communities through creativity, lived experience and social change.
The artwork has also inspired the creation of an original music track, I Am Not My Past, telling Paula’s story through creativity, resilience and self-belief.
For many young people who have experienced trauma, homelessness, instability, care experiences or social isolation, the message resonates deeply.
Paula’s artwork reminds people that their story is still being written.
Paula Yates
“I created I Am Not My Past because I wanted people to understand that everyone carries things with them, but those experiences don’t have to decide who we become. Creating this artwork helped me let go of some of those feelings and focus on who I want to be.”
Launching the
I Am Not My Past Creative Collection
Paula is now preparing to launch her first creative collection through the Urban Futures Collective, supported by Charlotte Hamblet, Co-Director and Education Lead at Genuine Futures.
The collection will include:
Limited edition art prints
Hoodies and sweatshirts
Tote bags
Caps and beanies
Mugs and accessories
Original music inspired by Paula’s story
Bolton-inspired sketch artwork
Community exhibitions
Pop-up art installations
The collection aims to celebrate resilience, challenge labels and encourage conversations about identity, belonging and hope.
It is hoped that proceeds generated from merchandise sales will help create opportunities for other young people involved in Genuine Futures.
Paula Yates
“Seeing my artwork become part of a collection feels surreal. I never imagined that something I created could end up on hoodies, prints or exhibitions. I hope people see themselves in the message and realise they can create their own future too.”
From Participant to Creative Lead
As Paula’s confidence grew, so did her role within the organisation.
Today, she plays a key role as a Youth Ambassador and Creative Lead.
She contributes to:
• Creative campaigns
• Community projects
• Youth engagement activities
• Social action initiatives
• The development of the Urban Futures Collective
• Artwork, branding and creative storytelling
Her lived experience allows her to bring authenticity to everything she does.
She understands uncertainty.
She understands rebuilding confidence.
She understands the importance of having someone believe in you.
That perspective helps shape how Genuine Futures supports other young people facing similar barriers.
Creativity as a Tool for Change
Paula’s journey demonstrates something we regularly witness at Genuine Futures.
Young people often possess incredible talents, ideas and potential.
What they sometimes lack are opportunities.
Through creativity, Paula has discovered a way to tell her story while helping others tell theirs.
Whether through artwork, campaigns, social media content, community events or future exhibitions through the Urban Futures Collective, she is helping ensure young people’s voices are heard.
Her work challenges stereotypes.
It encourages people to look beyond labels.
Because every young person is more than their circumstances.
Supporting Clean Futures
Paula also plays an important role within Clean Futures.
Created after listening to residents about environmental concerns within local communities, Clean Futures focuses on practical action through community clean-ups, environmental improvement projects, wheelie bin cleaning and neighbourhood engagement.
Paula helps bring the human stories behind these projects to life.
She communicates impact.
She showcases the people involved.
She reminds us that stronger communities are built not only by improving places, but by empowering people.
The Power of Belief
Sam Smith
Founder & Co-Director, Genuine Futures
“Paula’s journey shows exactly why Genuine Futures exists. We’ve seen her grow in confidence, find her voice through creativity and begin building an independent future for herself. What makes me most proud is seeing her use her experiences to inspire other young people. Paula is proof that when someone believes in you and gives you an opportunity, amazing things can happen.”
Charlotte Hamblet
Co-Director and Education Lead, Genuine Futures
“Paula’s creativity has been inspiring to watch develop. Art gives young people a powerful way to express themselves, build confidence and make sense of their experiences. Through the Urban Futures Collective, we’re creating opportunities for young people like Paula to showcase their talents, share their stories and realise that their creativity has real value. Paula reminds us that with encouragement, opportunity and belief, young people can achieve far more than they often imagine.”
Why Paula’s Story Matters
Across the UK, thousands of young people transition from supported accommodation into independent living every year.
Many face challenges around:
• Housing
• Confidence
• Mental wellbeing
• Employment
• Education
• Social isolation
• Building positive support networks
Too often, conversations focus only on the difficulties.
Success stories deserve equal attention.
Paula’s story is not simply about overcoming obstacles.
It is about discovering strengths that were already there.
It is about finding confidence.
It is about creativity becoming a pathway to opportunity.
It is about becoming a role model for others.
Most importantly, it demonstrates what can happen when young people are given opportunities and people believe in them.
Looking Ahead
Today, Paula continues to play an important role within Genuine Futures, Clean Futures and the Urban Futures Collective, working alongside Charlotte Hamblet and the wider Genuine Futures team to help shape exhibitions, merchandise, community projects and creative campaigns designed to inspire positive change.
Her journey has taken her:
From supported accommodation to independent living
From uncertainty to confidence
From participant to Youth Ambassador
From artist to Creative Lead
From surviving to creating
Paula’s story proves that young people can achieve incredible things when they are supported, encouraged and given opportunities to thrive.
She is not her past.
She is an artist.
She is a Youth Ambassador.
She is a Creative Lead.
And she is helping others believe that their future is still waiting to be created.
Because sometimes all it takes is one person believing in you to help you believe in yourself.
Paula’s Message
“Art gave me a way to tell my story. If my work helps one young person believe in themselves, then it’s worth it.”
“I used to think people only saw the difficult parts of my life. Through art, I’ve found a way to show people my strengths instead. I don’t chase yesterday anymore. I create tomorrow.”
About Genuine Futures
Genuine Futures supports young people aged 15–24 who are not in education, employment or training, alongside care-experienced young people and those facing significant barriers to opportunity.
Through initiatives including Boss Your Future, Clean Futures, We Shine Any Car and the Urban Futures Collective, we help young people build confidence, develop skills, discover their talents and create brighter futures.
