A Cumbrian nursing graduate is aiming to improve mental health support, spurred on by her own experience of struggling support services.
Jade Ainsworth, 25, of Barrow, is now a community mental health nurse in Lincoln.
Jade’s drive and determination have remained steadfast despite health challenges and finding herself in care at 16.
Her love of learning kept her focused on her future and she achieved a first class honours degree in nursing at Edge Hill University.
She said: “Much of the help I received fell short but it spurred me on to enter the profession and do things differently.
“I’m going to be a catalyst for change within imperfect systems. I want to climb the ladder, become a change management leader and put things in place that are more appropriate for patients, like trauma-informed care.
“During the challenging times, education was my lifeline. College was where I got to focus on something else. I loved getting away from the house, being surrounded by like-minded people and the sense of achievement in getting good grades.
“I kept getting uprooted and had to move college three times. It showed how important education was to me because I never gave up.
Jade’s been recognised for her achievements in the face of adversity. She was awarded an Edge Hill Excellence Scholarship and was shortlisted for Most Inspirational Student of the Year at the coveted Student Nursing Times Awards 2024.
She has taken every opportunity while studying at Edge Hill, including spending a month in Tanzania. She will soon build on this experience with a working trip to Bali.
Jade added: “I want care leavers to recognise they have as much right to be at university as somebody with a conventional upbringing. People didn’t think I’d make it to uni, but believe in yourself and do what you want to do. Feel the fear and do it anyway! If you’re willing to give it your all, uni life is so rewarding.” .
