George’s story

Before attending a TLG education centre, George found himself sent out of class 9 times out of 10. But now, at the age of 22, he can look back on his years at TLG and truly describe them as transformational.  

“I was hyperactive all the time. That’s the best way to put it. I called myself the class clown because I was just cracking jokes and I thought people found it funny but they didn’t. I was basically being a pain around people and causing trouble around school. 

I got lots of Saturday detentions and I’d have to walk down the high street in my uniform. People would look at me and think, ‘what’s he doing in his uniform? It’s a Saturday!’ It was embarrassing. 

Primary school wasn’t any easier. In fact, it was a big issue as well. I remember one time cutting a girl’s clothes with scissors because I was annoyed with her. You’d find me sat outside the headteacher’s office again and again. 

I needed to be somewhere smaller. When you’re at a big school and you’re sitting there stuck on something, the teacher can’t help you because she’s busy with the student that’s getting A stars. They know you’re going to fail so they don’t help you as much. Well that’s how I felt anyway.  

I was given a place at the TLG Education Centre in West London. At first I thought it was just one of those places that the naughty kids go but I quickly realised that it was somewhere I needed to be.  

What makes TLG so special is that there’s only a small group of you and the staff are so willing to care. They really listen to you when you’re having a bad day. I can’t think of any teacher at TLG that didn’t put in 100% to help me. TLG taught me to be myself all the time; to not belittle myself. I think with TLG, everything changes completely.  

Because of TLG, I was able to go on to college. Believe me, I don’t think I’d have got there without them. I honestly feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to go to TLG. I don’t know how different life would be now without it. 

TLG definitely changed my perception of Christians. They’re a lot more forgiving. They don’t give up on you. They keep working with you to help you make things right. Knowing that the TLG staff were praying for me from day one was so nice. They believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. 

I’m moving up to Edinburgh in a couple of weeks to start a new chapter in my life. I’m going there with a different mindset. I’m at Tesco and I want to work my way up. I really want to do well there. 

Take it from me, a lot of places need TLG because there are so many kids struggling and a lot of them don’t like to ask for help. That’s why if I met someone who gave money to TLG I’d make sure they knew how much that money is helping young people. What you give to TLG is helping people like me get to the place where I am now."