This case study follows CS, a young person who entered Skills Future with significant anxiety around leaving the house and visiting new places. Through patient, tailored support and creativity‑focused activities, they have begun building confidence, independence, and the foundations for future learning.

Introduction

Skills Future is for young people in Cornwall who want to build confidence, develop skills, and plan for their future. Led by Cornwall Council, it’s designed to help participants progress into education, training, or employment.

CS joined the project in September 2025. Before taking part, they experienced overwhelming anxiety around leaving the house, travelling to unfamiliar places, and interacting with new people. They preferred familiar environments and found social situations extremely challenging. CS also faced gaps in some functional skills—such as basic numeracy, telling the time, and using digital communication tools—which limited their independence.

Their goals on joining included building confidence in new environments, developing social interaction, increasing independence, exploring creative interests—especially drawing and animation—and improving emotional literacy.

Our Role

Our role was to offer steady, personalised, and flexible support that enabled CS to develop confidence at a manageable pace. By creating safe, predictable environments and introducing new experiences gradually, we supported them to build trust, reduce anxiety, and work toward their goals.

We shaped sessions around CS’s interests—particularly art—and supported practical steps toward independence, travel confidence, and emotional understanding.

What We Delivered

Workshops and Learning Opportunities

CS took part in a variety of activities designed to help build creative skills, social confidence, and independence, including:

• Weekly art classes at Penryn Arts Centre, where they developed observational drawing skills and began interacting more confidently with tutors and     other participants.
• Regular 1:1 sessions at Penryn Library, with relaxed activities such as board games, conversation, and creative discussions, helping them grow     comfortable in a new community setting.
• Visits to new locations, including selecting art supplies at Hobbycraft and a day trip to the Eden Project.
• Plans to explore digital creative skills, including using their digital drawing tablet and learning animation with support from a local animator.

These activities helped CS practise communication, decision‑making, and independence—all linked to their creative interests.

Building Confidence Through Real‑World Experiences

Several activities were designed specifically to build CS’s confidence in unfamiliar situations:

• Attending weekly art classes and participating socially
• Visiting Penryn Library regularly to build familiarity
• Playing board games to encourage communication
• Travelling by car to new places such as Hobbycraft
• Visiting the Eden Project, including ordering food independently
• Practising road‑crossing and basic travel awareness

These experiences helped CS develop trust, reduce anxiety, and feel more capable in new environments.

Skills Developed

Through the programme, CS has developed a range of personal, creative, and practical skills, including:

• Increased social confidence and improved communication
• Greater emotional awareness and ability to talk about feelings and anxiety
• Strengthened artistic skills, particularly drawing and observation
• Basic numeracy through games and structured activities
• Early digital communication and device‑based skills
• Independent decision‑making, such as choosing materials and ordering food

These skills support both their personal development and their potential for future creative learning opportunities.

Impact

With support from the project, CS has made significant progress in confidence, independence, and willingness to try new experiences. They have:

• Become comfortable attending regular sessions at Penryn Library
• Participated confidently in weekly art classes
• Travelled by car to new locations
• Visited the Eden Project and explored independently
• Ordered food confidently in a café
• Chosen art materials independently in a shop
• Showed growing confidence and freedom to express herself during sessions

Although CS has not yet moved into education, employment, or formal training, they are actively engaging in structured activities and community settings. They are no longer socially isolated and are developing the foundations needed for future pathways.

CS has made strong progress toward their original goals, especially around confidence, independence, and creative development.

Testimonials

Pathways Coordinator:
“CS has shown real progress in her independence and willingness to try new experiences, and it has been a privilege to support her journey as she continues to build confidence and develop her creative skills.”