Mothers On Track

Kainé Management helps mothers speak up.

Over 10 young women are no longer keeping mum about what it’s like to be a teenage parent.

Fear of being looked down upon (especially by other, older parents) forced youngsters such as Jade Harris and Chantell McLeod to stay at home during and after their pregnancy.

But a brand new scheme run by Rutland Street voluntary Group, Kainé Management has seen a re-birth in their confidence and got them dreaming of careers in everything from hair and beauty to midwifery.

Run over ten weeks, sponsored and supported by Connexions Leicester-Shire ‘Mothers on Track’ mapped a brighter future for the mums by offering them advice on writing CVs and job interview technique plus a day at Leicester College to see what student life is like. They also rolled their sleeves up and got involved in arts and cultural heritage projects such as t-shirt making, which improved their confidence and creativity.

Jade Harris from Beaumont East felt thoroughly confined before and after giving birth to her fine son, Finley (now 13 months old). “I didn’t go anywhere for a couple of months” she admits, “because I remember hearing a woman complain about “too many kids having kids.”” Jade (now 18) tried taking Finley to a local nursery, but it wasn’t until she made her way to Kainé that she felt confident, again. “Everyone here is exactly the same, we all have babies” she said.

Rowlatts based Chantell McLeod (also 18) is fiercely proud of her daughter Shukaia and believes, “it doesn’t matter what age you are when you have a child; I’m as good as any other parent!” While she’s found her voice now, Chantell admits, “I wouldn’t speak up when I first came to Kainé. My confidence was very low and I didn’t go out anywhere but it has been great meeting young women like me.”

Like all the Kainé mums, Chantell was able to take advantage of free childcare at Beanstalks Nursery on Colton Street and took part in a visit to a similar parenting project in Bristol. Now things are gelling for Chantell, she plans to study hair and beauty at Leicester College. Jade meanwhile wants to be a midwife as a tribute to those at Leicester Royal Infirmary who treated her so well.

Mulenga Katebe Project Officer Youth and Community for Kainé Management said: “This has been a journey for all the women during which they’ve grown and thought about their aspirations and their goals. It’s brought them together and also made them remember what it is like to be a young person.”

The young women on the programme were saluted recently at a celebration event by local businesswoman and semi-finalist from the B.B.C. T.V programme The Apprentice, Joanna Riley. A parent at 21 herself, Joanna told the mums: “My kids were the reason I set up my cleaning business. No one’s going to pay your bills – so get yourself some confidence and get going!”

For further information about Teen parent work contact: 0116 2616840

Or email us at: info@kainemanagement.org.uk

Kaine Management Partners