After years of struggling with mental health challenges and feeling stuck in unfulfilling jobs, Martyn reached his lowest point and knew he needed a change. Read on to hear Martyn’s story…
Before starting the programme with Venture Scotland in December of last year, I was previously in the world of work for 7 years in various jobs that had no appeal to me. My mental health started to deteriorate about 2 years into my first job and I never noticed how bad it really was.
Mental breakdown after mental breakdown I would take time off work to help myself but never took the right steps, it was like putting a plaster over a cut then 5 minutes later ripping it off to find the cut still bleeding. I thought that changing jobs would make things better, but it never did. I felt like I was going around in one big circle nothing was changing, and my mental health wasn’t getting any better.
In November of last year, I hit my all-time low – I became homeless and didn’t see the point of living anymore, that’s when started to take my mental health more seriously and reached out for help. The charity that appealed to me most was Venture Scotland because of what they do. I still remember the day I met Louisa; we spoke about my situation and what Venture Scotland had to offer. The conversation we had piqued my interest in the programme, and I couldn’t wait to get started.
Challenge for me was the hardest part of the programme because my confidence and self-esteem had been battered from the past, also meeting new people and getting to know them had never been one of my strong suits. Challenging myself to be in uncomfortable situations is something I would never do but I found that’s where I would grow and learn new things about myself. What made it easier was the fact that the group was a safe environment, everyone came together as a team and we were so supportive of each other, that’s what made the first 5 days a lot easier.
The second stage of the programme discover, for me was the best part. It was full of outdoor adventure that would encourage me to creep out of my comfort zone, help me grow and thrive to do more.
Some activities that I enjoyed the most were rock climbing, canoeing, paddle boarding and the camping and residential trips we had as a group. I also enjoyed the problem solving and team building exercises as these things helped bond the group closer together. It wasn’t all adventure though, there was plenty of theory sessions in between. These sessions helped me monitor my mental health a lot better and make it easier to pull myself out of a dark place whenever one was around the corner.
With Discover coming to an end, we weren’t too sure what was going to happen next. Unfortunately, the next stage had to be put on hold (due to funding). I felt like I was stuck at a crossroads not too sure on what to do next.
I started a college course and took up volunteering giving me something else to focus on. Before I knew it Beth had got in contact to let me know that the group was getting back together, I was delighted about the news and couldn’t wait to start the next stage of the programme, Empower.
The journey with Venture Scotland has been a mixture of ups and downs but it’s what I got out of the programme what matters the most, it’s helped me become a better version of myself.
I have now found my purpose in life, knowing now what I want my future to look like. Without Venture Scotland it would have been too late, and I wouldn’t be here now.
