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Name: | Garreth McCarthy |
Age: | 22 |
Year of the Fix: | 2009 |
Location: | Hampshire |
Campaign: | Showing what can happen if you make the wrong choices |
I was born in Limerick in Ireland and spent most of my childhood there. I grew up in a world of crime and that was all that I knew. At a fairly young age, I was taken into care and went through quite a few care homes. I was first put into a secure unit at the age of nine and from that point, throughout my teens, I was almost constantly in trouble with the law and labelled a Persistent Offender.
I moved to Northern Ireland for a while and got into taking and selling drugs to make some money. I then moved to England, where I went to prison a number of times before finally settling in Andover and deciding to turn my life around.
During my last stint in prison, I missed my young family so much that I knew I didn’t want to ever go back inside. When I came out of the prison for the last time, I was introduced to Wayne from Fixers. He supported me hugely in my project and I decided I wanted to do something to help other young offenders break out of the cycle of reoffending.
We came up with a script, which would reflect the two extremes of the paths you can take in life. It doesn't matter where you start in life, at the end of the day it's up to you to choose the right path.
Here is a list of Fixers who are helping with my Fix:
Colin Hughes Jamie Cox James Lee Matthew Brown Grant Fenton Cheryl Slack Aby White |
Sophie Gale Sian Fowler Stephen Robinson Stephen Carter Joel Stocker Matthew Cooper James Worthington |
Daniel Falcone Rebecca Tubbs Matthew Long Alex Brown Hannah Peck
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Swanwick Lodge
Swanwick Lodge supports my Fixers project. My Fixers film has been used by the secure children’s home in Southampton, which accommodates 16 young people (aged 10 to 17 years) at any one time.
The Junction
The Junction in Andover supports my Fixers project. My Fixers film was used by the training and advice centre, and was shown to a group of young people who are NEETs. I was also invited to discuss my Fixers project an event held at the centre, which was targeted to police, youth workers, MPs, and police community support officers [click here for more].
Youth Offending Team (YOT) Attendance Centre
The YOT in Southampton support my Fixers project and have employed me on a part-time basis. I have also been able to use my Fixers film when working with young people at the centre.
June 2013
Since starting his project with Fixers, I have gone on to use my Fixers film within my career working with children and young people.
I have been employed by a children's home in Weymouth to mentor young people on a one-on-one basis and hope to expand my role to work with groups in the future.
I have also been employed part-time by the Probation Service to work with young offenders and encourage them away from reoffending, and I work with the youth offending team in Southampton to get young people off the streets, out of crime, and off drugs.
March 2013
Since working with Fixers, I have been employed by the youth offending team in Southampton to get young people off the streets, out of crime, and off drugs. I'm trying to tell other young people about my own experiences and hopefully that will make a difference in someone else's life.
I am also in talks with Councillor Dorothy Baverstock, Mayor of Test Valley to start my own scheme to support young people.
Leading public figures like Sir George Young, MP have also expressed an interest in my Fixers campaign.
My story was also featured in the Andover Advertiser. Click here to read the full story.
Jo Quinn
Sam Womack
Alexandra Garrick
Liam Thomas
Jack H
Olivia G
Hafsa Ur-Rehman
Timothy Cranfield
Shano
Jade Kingdom
Chelsie Brown
Fern Lulham
Becky
Ben Simms
Tilly and Bella
'Kate'
Mary-Anne White and Lucy Wills
Lauren Taylor
Macauley Collinson
Mason Latey
Meghann
Me and my friends want young people to know that calories aren't the enemy!
'Ben'
Sam Barakat
Shannon Rawlings