AIM has been transformational for me and my family. Through their continued support and sincerity we have received numerous resources and helpful advice on how to handle difficult situations. I have felt more empowered in my ability to help and to protect my son. My son and I would not be where we are now without the support we received from AIM.

DA (Mother), Isleworth.

What ‘A’’s amazing journey highlights is the power of working at the ‘pavement’ level and bringing lived experience into the mix. It also underlines the challenge of scaling the model while ensuring it retains the flexibility and hyper local nature.

For us, it speaks to the question of how larger organisations – whether statutory or voluntary – can support people with lived experience to be involved in provision without being crushed by bureaucracy, as well as the importance of engaging parents and teenagers who have been through this experience in co-designing interventions, including Family Hubs. ‘A’ is very aware of these issues and is working on how she can evaluate her work so that others can build on her experience in other areas.

Through AIM, she campaigns for those voices of lived experience to be heard.

Testimonial from Commission For Young Lives Report March 2022