Hannah’s Story

Finding Her Way Back Out Into the World

For several years, the world outside Hannah’s front door felt impossible.

Due to her severe social phobia and autism, Hannah had not left the house for four to five years. This began before the Covid-19 pandemic, but the isolation that followed made things even harder. Over time, her mental health declined and her anxiety became overwhelming, eventually leading to a stay in hospital.

It was there that Hannah was referred to YMCA Milton Keynes’ Youth Mentoring programme.

At first, the idea of mentoring felt daunting. Even getting out of the house felt like too much. But Hannah knew she was getting worse and needed support.

“I knew I needed it,” she says. “As hard as it was, I couldn’t stay where I was.”

The first time Hannah left the house after years of isolation was overwhelming.

“Everything had changed,” she remembers. “There were more buildings.”

With the support of her mentor, Emma, Hannah began taking small but brave steps back into the world. Together, they worked on building routines, managing anxiety, and slowly rebuilding confidence.

One of the biggest challenges was using public transport. Buses felt especially frightening — closed spaces full of people she didn’t know.

“Emma helped me get on a bus,” Hannah says. “That was huge for me.”

Through mentoring, Hannah began to push herself in ways that once felt unthinkable.

“I pushed myself,” she says. “It does make you stronger.”

As her confidence grew, so did her ambitions. Hannah took on a volunteering role at a church café, eventually becoming a supervisor supporting volunteers with various disabilities — something she found incredibly rewarding.

From there, she moved into paid work and now works part-time at a local café, a job she loves.

Today, Hannah has built a daily routine that helps her manage stress and prepare for the day ahead. The words she uses to describe herself have changed too.

Before mentoring, Hannah says she felt stressed, sad and shy.
Now, she describes herself as trusting, happy and comfortable.

In a moment that once would have felt unimaginable, Hannah even spoke publicly at a YMCA Strategic Leaders Conference last year, sharing her story and inspiring others.