Giving something back

When we ask our participants what they’re hoping to achieve, we very often hear that they want to “give something back”. Many are drawn directly to support roles, such as peer support or care work. For others, volunteering within the local community means that they can continue to grow whilst helping others. In many instances, “giving something back” becomes something they do alongside the day job.

Mr Universe Musclemania 2013

Take Ty for example: he left a career in financial services to become a world champion bodybuilder, he then landed his own television show in Kuwait before moving to the USA to pursue a career combining fitness and music. His passion was always to show people that they can achieve their goals. To this end his role as a fitness instructor to a diverse range of individuals, meant that he could turn his own success into something tangible for others- whatever their individual aims.

Helping others

When Ty’s own health started to suffer he returned to the UK. After a while he enrolled on HeadsUp, and almost from the start he stated that he wanted to help others. We explored what this would look like for him personally, encouraging him to use his existing skills to help build back his confidence. When the time was right he started working as an instructor at a local gym; and as he left HeadsUp he spoke of how he wanted to use his own journey to help others who may be struggling.

Inspiring your peers

In March 2022, Ty was one of the guest speakers at the West Ham United Foundation and Hackney CVS event, 21^st Century Black Man. The event aims to inspire and encourage young black males in Newham and Hackney, by bringing them together with successful people from a range of backgrounds. Ty spoke of his own journey and success, discussing how he dealt with his own mental health and depression. This willingness to openly discuss mental health had a positive impact on attendees. One attendee spoke of his own struggles, and how hearing from role models about their own journeys gave him hope.

The 21^st Century Black Man event was part of West Ham United Foundation’s “Moving On Up” programme, which has been supporting young people from Newham for three years. For more details, contact AOmedeyi@westhamunited.co.uk . To see more of Ty’s journey, follow him on Instagram @tyoghd .

By showing others how he overcame his own mental health challenges, Ty has definitely “given something back”.