How mentoring prepared Jesse for his moment on Match of The Day
Jesse was referred to our mentoring programme when his college attendance started to drop. His enrolment officer introduced him to Pat, his mentor, and since then, Jesse’s confidence has shot up. He’s spoken at Palace for Life events, appeared on Match of the Day, and even won Student of the Year. This is Jesse's story.
Jesse, an 18-year-old from south London was referred to our mentoring programme a year ago by his college enrolment officer.
At the time, Jesse was studying for a Level 3 Sports Coaching qualification but often found himself distracted by friends which was impacting his attendance at college. He also wanted to improve his confidence, communication, and presentation skills. His enrolment officer recognised his potential and believed that teaming up with a mentor from Palace for Life would be extremely valuable for him.
Initially, Jesse was apprehensive about working with a mentor. Having no previous experience to reference, he felt uncomfortable with the idea of discussing his feelings with a stranger. However, he eventually agreed to meet Pat, who would become his mentor for the next six months.
After an informal chat, Pat and Jesse spoke about what his preferred career path might look like. Studying Sports Coaching, Jesse wanted to work within the industry and expressed his desire to succeed in college and find a relevant work experience placement. Pat outlined the work needed to achieve this, and they agreed to set some short-term goals.

Jesse and his friend Rasharn appeared on a Match of the Day feature about Palace for Life
At first, things didn’t go quite to plan. Jesse was honest, admitting that he hadn’t met any of the goals due to circumstances beyond his control. On reflection, he acknowledged he needed to be more disciplined and feel more comfortable saying no to friends when he had other, more important priorities. Jesse has family in America he would like to visit one day. They discussed how getting into the wrong group and how a criminal record could limit his life plan and the importance of keeping his life goals at the forefront of his mind, helping him make the right choices. Jesse recognised this in himself:
“At first, I thought it would be easy to achieve my goals, but it turned out to be hard. For example, just turning up on time every day for class was really difficult for me. It sounds so easy saying what you want to do, but it’s much harder doing it—it takes real planning and discipline.”
Recapping and revisiting his goals regularly provided good structure for Jesse and Pat’s meetings. In the following meetings, Jesse took pleasure in reporting that he had managed to attend all his classes and be on time.
The next thing Jesse wanted to work on was his confidence and communication skills. Pat decided to dedicate a portion of each session for Jesse to stand up and present something to him. With each session, Pat provided constructive feedback, such as speaking louder, looking up, and projecting his voice. They also worked on the importance of eye contact and tone of voice. With each passing week, Jesse improved and began to present with more authority and confidence.
His confidence improved so much so, that he put himself forward to speak at a Palace for Life Investors Club event in March, where he talked about his experience in mentoring. Jesse shared his thoughts on this experience:
“I spoke to a room full of CEOs, directors, and managers of companies. When I started focusing on my public speaking, I didn’t have much self-confidence, but through the sessions I had with my mentor, I built this up gradually, and I finally felt ready to put myself forward for a speaking event at Palace for Life. This was outside of my comfort zone, but something I am incredibly proud of. I am now willing to meet new people in a business or social setting and am actively looking to network with people who may be looking to employ a young person in their company.”

Jesse speaking at an Investors Club event in March 2024
Jesse also appeared in a feature about Palace for Life on Match of the Day, speaking about the work we’re doing in the community and mentoring supported him.
In addition to the progress Jesse made with his communication and presentation skills, he completed his college course and was awarded Student of the Year for his class. Towards the end of his college course, Pat met with his teachers, who said:
“We have noticed a big change in his attitude and performance, and it’s positively impacting everything he’s doing in college.”
Jesse reflected on his time in the mentoring programme:
“I would highly recommend the Palace for Life mentoring programme to every young person who needs a little guidance to help them reach their full potential. The support provided is invaluable. I never imagined I would win an award from college at the start of the year, but with some guidance and support, my college experience has turned out to be one of the best experiences for me. I couldn’t have achieved any of it without my mentor and the partnership we created. Discussing my fears, tackling my lack of self-confidence, and providing me with consistent guidance has made all the difference. I now know I can achieve anything if I put my mind to it.”
Support more young people like Jesse by donating to our work, here.
For more information on one-to-one mentoring at Palace for Life, head here.
To join, or find out more about the Palace for Life Investors Club, head here.