Creating pathways to independence: Jamie and Alex’s journey at Boost

This week, Bath Rugby Foundation’s Alternative Learning Hub proudly celebrated the achievements of two Boost students, Jamie and Alex, who have now completed their exams and are beginning to carve out their own paths to independence.

Jamie hopes to progress to the Step Up programme at Bath College, while Alex is aiming to study Motor Vehicle Maintenance at Bath College in Radstock. But as our Alternative Learning Manager, Jonno Wood, explains — their journeys have been about so much more than academic results.

When I first met these two young men, they didn’t care. About education, about their future — about much at all. And given what they’d been through, that made sense.

So we built a space around them. A high-control, low-consequence environment. A place to try, to fail, to try again. Where they could learn social skills through group play — without adults jumping in to fix everything.

They learned to want more for themselves. That was the turning point. Confidence came from realising it was okay to care — and from there, they started taking accountability. They met employers and educators. They chose a path. They built one.

Both are now on a pathway to independence. Both earned it.

They couldn’t have done it alone — and we couldn’t have done it without them. Or their parents. Or the businesses and professionals who stepped up. We set the example, but the community made it work.

This is what it means to show up for young people. This is Boost. This is what happens when you give trust — and build from there.

Jonno Wood
Alternative Learning Manager

We are incredibly proud of Jamie and Alex for how far they’ve come. Their resilience, growth, and determination are a powerful reminder of what can happen when young people are given the right support and belief.

Our vision at Bath Rugby Foundation is that every child deserves a fair start in life. Jamie and Alex’s story is a testament to that — and to the power of community, trust, and opportunity.

Refer a young person:

If you would like to refer a young person to our Alternative Learning Hub, please contact our Alternative Learning Officer, Phil, on: [email protected]

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