A MAN who turned his life around is helping to prevent young people make the same mistakes he did.
Andrew Roscoe fell into a life of drinking and drugs, eventually leading him to being unemployed, unqualified and with two cautions on his record.
From the age of 18, Andrew fell in with the wrong crowds, rejected from work because of his record and without a role to play in his hometown community of Wrexham.
“My life was quite problematic at the time,” he said, “I needed an opportunity to break the cycle.”
Eventually, he found himself at Nacro, who employed him into an education programme designed to rehabilitate people within their communities.
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Andrew said: “Nacro paid me for 12 weeks, as part of the programme, so I could survive while job searching and working on qualifications with them.
“The structure led me to want to gain more qualifications, it supported me to understand the importance of achievement, and its informal approach instilled my belief in the importance of making further positive impact within the community.”
Andrew excelled in the programme, going on to Glyndwr University where he studied a BA (Hons) Youth and Community, a PGCE, and a post-grad in sports coaching and development, resurrecting his career as a semi-professional footballer.
He went on to play for Cefn Druids and work at Wrexham FC, Chester FC, and Prestatyn Town as well as representing Great Britain in Futsal.
Starting in 2020, The Dragon Football academy runs football, men's and women's futsal, U11's, and U6's teams.
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He helps players, parents, and volunteers to get physically active while supporting those with mental health issues and providing skills and education training.
They upskill volunteers with coaching education, training, and other qualifications to increase employability, recently he’s helped 14 people achieve Level 2 qualifications with the help of local community links he gained while on the Nacro course.
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“All this is aimed at improving people's employability chances,” he said.
“The club has already helped players gain trials at Premier League football sides, helped volunteers achieve qualifications in sport and industry lead sectors and helped many adults get into Tier 2 Welsh clubs.”
“Our futsal section has also played against sides like England partially sighted futsal team and Chelsea Futsal.”
“Without Nacro I would have been in prison or dead, Nacro saved my life and for that I want to thank Nacro, 10 years on, for the path it directed me on.”
“I will be forever grateful,” Andrew said.
“Now thanks to Nacro I implement my experiences and knowledge within the community so that others don't make the costly mistakes I made whilst I was growing up.”
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