Louis’s story

Building independence

Louis began his journey to independence at National Star in Hereford, where he completed the Work Outcomes programme. During his time at college, he developed his functional skills in Maths and English, achieved a qualification in employability skills, and continued to build on his travel training. While we don’t deliver formal travel training in Hereford, Louis still had the chance to grow his confidence and independence by practising those skills with support during his time with us.

Louis had clear goals when he started college. He wanted to meet new people, gain skills to support him in achieving employability, and increase his self-confidence.

Thriving beyond college

One year after leaving National Star in Hereford, Louis is thriving in his community, completing three independent placements and joining social activities on the weekends. Louis has seamlessly transitioned from a student to a valued member of his local community, where he plays a central role in local radio and creative initiatives.

Louis’s love for radio started during his time at college. With support from his job coach Cheryl, he was able to build on his early experiences at Echo Radio and secure a formal volunteer placement with the station. Initially joining the studio team on Tuesdays, Louis’s confidence and skills grew, and he later took on an additional role as a presenter for the Friday show.

Finding confidence through radio volunteering

Now, Louis is a lead voice at the station. He plays a vital role in engineering the show and supporting newcomers and fellow DJs as part of his volunteer role. As part of securing this position, Louis took part in a professional discussion with the coordinators of Echo Radio to demonstrate his suitability for the role. His typical studio day starts with a 9:30am production meeting, where the team plans the show format, discusses current news, and identifies feature pieces. Louis is actively involved in researching daily topics and has contributed creative articles, such as ‘music to go with your meal’, which blends practical advice with his creative fun and flair.

Louis also takes an active role in choosing the music, preparing the show script, and suggesting new ideas. One of his recent favourites was celebrating National Repeat Day, where the team had fun by humorously repeating their show sign-off to mark the occasion.

Louis has come a long way from being a student. He’s now someone who reviews show scripts, notices missing sections, and takes initiative to improve them. He brings a natural sense of humour, positivity, and teamwork, not just to his projects, but to everyone he works with.

His favourite part of the week? The fun and laughter: “Everyone gets on, and we make each other laugh. It’s the best part,” he says.

Through volunteering and genuine friendships, Louis has built a busy, balanced, and fulfilling life in the community. His story is a fantastic example of how meaningful opportunities beyond college can unlock new confidence, purpose and joy.

Find out more

For more information about life after college, contact our Transitions team at [email protected]