Newcastle care leaver finds dream job after jungle trek

A care leaver is starting a new job after returning from the trip of a lifetime.

After a traumatic childhood, Milly was moved to a children’s home in Newcastle during her secondary school years, where she gained confidence to apply for, and win a place, on a 10-week adventure in Borneo.

She said she had learned “not to be afraid to speak” during her trip, which also involved building roads.

Milly has now found employment with a building firm.

During her Raleigh International expedition in Malaysia, she also spent time working in a wildlife sanctuary, as well as trekking in the jungle.

“We were walking like for hours, in the middle of nowhere, with people I’d just met.

“That’s when I hit breaking point. I just wanted to go home,” she said.

Milly said it had felt rewarding to make it to the end and the confidence-boosting experience would live with her forever.

She said she had learned “how to speak to people, and not to hide myself. And not to be afraid to speak. Now I just don’t shut up.”

Milly said she had thought the hardest part of the trip would be not having her mobile phone.

“Everyone thinks it’s horror that I had no phone. But I actually got to speak to people and really have a conversation,” she said.