Maizen came to Centrepoint four months ago, after the home that he was staying in with his father became unsuitable. He’s now well on his way to getting his engineering qualification and is looking to study aeronautical engineering at university or through an apprenticeship in the future.
Getting settled at Centrepoint
Maizen, 19, came to Centrepoint four months ago, after the shared home he was living in with his father became unsuitable for him to stay. His dad was working around the clock doing day and night shifts and after something happened in the house, Maizen had to leave.
He presented himself to the council as homeless and luckily, they were able to refer him to Centrepoint accommodation, where he has been staying ever since. He remembers how warm and inviting the team were as soon as he arrived, which helped him to feel welcomed, especially by his support worker, Natasha. “Natasha was actually the first person I met when I first walked in and she said, you’re welcome here, we’ll look after you”.
He didn’t know what to expect from his new home but was so happy that he was able to fit into the community that the residents and support workers had created. “That warmth was really important because I thought that all the residents here would just lock themselves up in their room and not interact. I thought nobody would know each other, but I’ve made so many friends in this house”.
“One time we did cooking together, and it was really fun experience. I like that the cooking really helped me with interacting with the other housemates.”
From the moment he saw his new room, Maizen felt excited by the possibility of a new start and that moving into a Centrepoint house was a new beginning for him. “Mahdi showed me my room for the first time, and I thought, wow I am so grateful. I finally have a place of my own and I can just relax and get my finance up and find a job as quickly as I can. And then I can start living independently in the future. But this place is more of a fresh start for me and helps me to prepare myself”.
Finding himself through boxing
Since coming to Centrepoint, Maizen has taken up boxing, and it’s quickly become something that has a lot of meaning to him. He’d never done boxing before, but after meeting BoxWise coach Charlie at an event with Centrepoint patron Prince William a few weeks before, he was inspired and motivated to try something new.
“I’ve never been into a boxing ring before, and I really loved the experience. I was like there’s no way I’m going to be able to do this and continue, but Charlie was so motivating and I’m like you know what, I have to push”.
For Maizen, boxing is also a good way for him to channel his emotions and to de-stress, helping him to feel like a different person. From his first session he realised that for him “boxing is really good stress relief, and I felt like that day, I was brand new”. He also said that Charlie was able to help him understand more about his emotions and how that connected with being in the ring.
“I’ve got so much respect for Charlie. He was teaching me a lot of stuff about controlling my mind and how emotions are really necessary for boxing in real life – having that emotional control”.
Seeing the world champions that Charlie had trained on the wall of the gym was also really impactful for Maizen. Knowing that Charlie had trained many boxers to achieve championship status, he knew this was a once in a lifetime experience which had a hugely positive effect on him. “I don’t know what it was but at the end of that training session I had with Charlie, I felt totally different and really motivated. It was so positive”.
Not only had the boxing been a great motivator and a way to focus how he was feeling, but Maizen noticed the confidence boost it had given him. “Sometimes I doubt what I’m about to say, a lot. Like too much, to the point where it doesn’t get out properly. But with boxing I realised that with patience, perseverance and practicing, you know, hard work, you could do anything.”
Maizen said that he’s definitely going to continue on with his boxing and that Charlie had “sparked the flame in me and I really, really like boxing now and if I get the chance to sign up for a boxing class, I would do that immediately.”
Moving towards independence
Whilst staying at Centrepoint, Maizen and Natasha have been looking at the steps that he can take to move towards living independently - from finances to employment and everything in between.
“Natasha really helps me to budget. We have these talks about how I could save more money like opening a savings account or getting rewards for groceries and all those things”.
“She was like we're trying to prepare you so that when you move on, you'll be able to understand how things work. You'll be able to push yourself forward and she’s given me that kick start basically”.
Maizen recently attended a Centrepoint job fair where he had the opportunity to speak with employers and trainers to help him find roles that might work for him. “I was interested in a lot of construction companies that were there and also really attracted to the mindset courses. I’m going to be joining one this summer for a couple of weeks to practice for interviews and how I can boost my confidence”.
Alongside looking for long-term employment, Maizen has been finding part-time roles that he can take on at the weekend to support him whilst he's studying. He’s been drawn to security roles and through the Centrepoint Bursary scheme is being supported to complete his security training qualification so that he can take the next step.
Looking to the future
Maizen is currently at college, completing a qualification in engineering. His dream is to fix and maintain planes, which was sparked when he did work experience with an airline. After college he knows he wants a role in aeronautical engineering and is thinking about apprenticeships or a university placement and is excited by the options he has open to him now. When thinking about the future, Maizen said “I’ve got so many targets and aspirations now and I feel like it is possible. It really is possible”.
Alongside his studies, he’ll definitely be continuing on with his newfound love of boxing and is hoping to find a local club that he can sign up to soon.
Maizen is incredibly grateful for the support that he’s had from Centrepoint and his key workers in getting to where he is now. “I can't express how much I really appreciate what everyone does here. The service manager Ekwa and all the workers here they really take care of you. They’re so talkative and friendly and so nice. I’ve got so much love for everyone that works at Centrepoint.”
Maizen is an incredibly motivated and driven young man and we’re so excited for the world of opportunities he has in front of him. We can’t wait to hear and see what he does next!
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