Having the Confidence to Say Yes: Taking Opportunities When They Come

Sometimes confidence isn’t about feeling completely ready. It’s about having the courage to give something a go.

Recently, one of the young people we support at Future Pathways was presented with a brilliant opportunity during a football match at MGFA BTEC training.

Instead of playing, he was given the chance to step onto the pitch as the referee.

Taking responsibility for a football match isn’t always easy. You need to communicate, make decisions and have the confidence to stand by them. But he embraced the opportunity, arriving prepared with his own whistle and red and yellow cards, and did a fantastic job.

For us, it was about much more than football.

Confidence Comes From Giving Things a Go

We sometimes think being confident means feeling completely comfortable about doing something.

Often, it’s the opposite.

Confidence can be feeling unsure but deciding to try anyway.

New experiences give young people the opportunity to discover what they are capable of. Every time they try something unfamiliar, take responsibility or step outside their comfort zone, they learn a little more about themselves.

That might mean trying a new sport, taking part in an activity, speaking within a group or, in this case, taking charge of a football match.

The experience creates an important thought:

“I did that. Maybe I can do something else too.”

And that is how confidence can begin to grow.

Creating Opportunities to Discover Strengths

At Future Pathways, we believe young people need opportunities to experience success in different ways.

Education is an important part of their journey, but personal development can happen in many different environments too.

Sport, activities and new experiences can help young people develop communication, resilience, independence, decision-making and confidence. They can also uncover strengths and interests that a young person may not have recognised before.

Sometimes an unexpected opportunity can reveal something completely new.

That’s why we encourage young people to take those opportunities when they come along.

It doesn’t matter if everything goes perfectly. Trying something new is an achievement in itself.

Sometimes You Just Have to Say Yes

Seeing one of our young people standing on the pitch with his whistle and cards, taking responsibility and enjoying the experience was something we were incredibly pleased to see.

He was presented with an opportunity and had the confidence and courage to take it.

And he did a great job.

These are the moments that matter.

Because the next time an opportunity appears, there’s another positive experience to look back on and think:

“I gave it a go last time. Why not try again?”

At Future Pathways, we’ll continue creating opportunities for young people to learn, experience new things and discover what they are capable of.

Supporting young people to find their path — one opportunity at a time.