Paul Laverty, 24, was the winner of a prestigious national Prince’s Trust and TK Maxx and Homesense Award. He scooped the L’Oréal Paris Rising Star accolade, which recognises a young person who, having built up their confidence and skills, has overcome barriers to secure and recently start employment, education or training.
On Wednesday, May 22, he attended a reception at Buckingham Palace to meet His Majesty The King, Founder of The Prince’s Trust, who congratulated the award winners on their achievements.
Paul was also honoured on Tuesday at the star-studded awards ceremony, hosted by Ant and Dec, and attended by many celebrity supporters and Ambassadors of the youth charity. He was presented his award by Mia McKenna-Bruce and Roman Kemp.
On Wednesday, May 22, he attended a reception at Buckingham Palace to meet His Majesty The King, Founder of The Prince’s Trust, who congratulated the award winners on their achievements.
Paul was also honoured on Tuesday at the star-studded awards ceremony, hosted by Ant and Dec, and attended by many celebrity supporters and Ambassadors of the youth charity. He was presented his award by Mia McKenna-Bruce and Roman Kemp.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 Hi guys, my name is Carla and we are going to meet Paul, a very special young person
00:04 who completed our hospitality programme last April.
00:08 Hello.
00:09 Hi Paul.
00:10 How are you?
00:11 Not too bad yourself?
00:12 Good, I'm good.
00:13 How have you been?
00:14 Good.
00:15 He's like, what is this camera?
00:21 Paul, it's mad to think how far you've come over the past couple of years.
00:26 I lost my job due to the pandemic and then after I lost my job I was struggling for money.
00:32 I started getting involved with a bad crowd and ended up getting arrested.
00:37 When do you think was the moment things changed for you?
00:39 I was in police custody and the day I was in police custody was when my baby's full
00:44 scan was, so that's when I said to myself, I need to change for the better.
00:49 Through probation they told me about Prince's Trust, I got in contact with yourself and
00:53 now this is where I am now.
00:55 That article is from the Raising a Star Award.
00:57 I'd just come into work and seen it up on the boards.
00:59 I can't believe how far I've come.
01:01 The hospitality programme was, you had to go on video call, do employability and then
01:06 go out in placement in Ballycally Castle.
01:08 And then after the end of it you get an interview.
01:11 In the second week at the end of my shift with Mary, I told her, "Paul, you don't need
01:16 to do an interview, you've got the job anyway."
01:19 I couldn't believe it because they were going to believe it in me.
01:21 And now knowing I've got a secure job, got money to provide for the kids, it's given
01:26 me a second chance.
01:27 You've got a house, you're getting married, you have been invited back to your old school
01:32 to speak in front of the Assembly.
01:34 Tell me a wee bit about that.
01:35 The teacher that formed me, it still works in the school, she still does Prince's Trust.
01:40 She wants me to come into the school, talk about my past and just try and coach people
01:44 to stay on the right path.
01:45 Yeah, can we just get one latte and a cup of tea please?
01:51 When I went to the local hotel I just felt nervous, didn't think I was going to fit in,
01:55 didn't think I was going to be accepted.
01:56 Got through it the first day, went to my placement and just everything just went smoothly.
02:01 The whole staff is like a family.
02:03 Morning sir, morning Kevin.
02:06 I come in, tackle the dishes, get the chef stocked up for tonight's orders, then get
02:11 the pastry just so it's nice and sorted.
02:13 It's actually a joy to work with Paul because he's well mannered, he's always on time for
02:17 work.
02:18 He's actually one of my best workers at the moment.
02:20 We're going to make a cappuccino cheesecake.
02:23 From day one the change in Paul is he's come out of his shell a lot.
02:26 He was quite introverted but now he gets on well with everyone.
02:30 Scott, the manager, I'm hoping to take over his job and move up to a higher position.
02:34 I'm coming for his job so he better watch out.
02:37 Yeah, it's just really amazing to see how far he's come in the past year and he's achieved
02:41 so much.
02:42 I just want him to be really proud of himself and I know he is.
02:44 I always reach out to the Prince's Trust because they'll help if you have confections, disabilities
02:50 or anything, they'll always help you and help you get into employment so they will.
02:55 After I got confected I didn't think a job out there would take me on until the castle
03:00 actually gave me a second chance and believed in me.
03:03 After me coming through the hoops and bars now, I'm starting to believe in myself now.
03:08 I feel so proud knowing that I'm there for my son.
03:11 Back then when I got in trouble with the police I said to myself I need to change my life
03:15 around for my son because I need to make him see that I'm a role model for him.
03:19 That's Scott Wonder, isn't it?
03:21 [Music]
03:27 [BLANK_AUDIO]