A Fresh Start: Rory’s Journey with Wilderness Way

From exploitation to reunification: how one young person found hope, confidence and a fresh start. Rory’s story shows what therapeutic residential care looks like in practice.

A Fresh Start

When Rory arrived at Wilderness Way, he needed an emergency placement. He had been exploited through county lines activity and gang involvement and was carrying the impact of significant trauma following the death of his brother when he was younger. At the time, Rory didn’t recognise himself as a victim of exploitation and found it difficult to see a future beyond the life he knew.

Despite the urgency of the placement, the team worked hard to make his transition as calm and reassuring as possible. Before moving in, Rory met the team through a video call, was shown around his new home and had the opportunity to ask questions. Those first conversations helped reduce uncertainty and began building trust before he even arrived.

Although his referral paperwork painted a challenging picture, the team quickly realised there was much more to Rory than the circumstances that had brought him to Wilderness Way.

Building Trust

By taking a child-led approach, working at Rory’s pace and being consistently open and honest, the team created an environment where he felt safe enough to build relationships and begin looking forward instead of back. Rather than being defined by his past, Rory was given the opportunity to discover who he was and who he wanted to become.

Leanne, Service Manager, reflected:

“We got to know Rory for who he was, not what was written in his paperwork. Building that trust and positive relationship allowed him to open up freely.”

Reflecting on those early weeks, Rory said:

“Everyone was just really open and easy to speak to. They all check up on me daily, sit down and have conversations with me.”

Discovering New Possibilities

Over the following 17 weeks, Rory embraced the opportunities around him.

He engaged in direct work, built trusting relationships with his care team and developed confidence through new experiences. His team described him as achieving something positive almost every week, gradually building safe independence and taking increasing responsibility for his future.

As his confidence grew, so did his aspirations.

Rory discovered a passion for climbing and eagerly took on additional outdoor activities whenever they were available. Knowing he wanted to work with bikes in the future, the team arranged for him to complete a bike mechanics course, helping him develop practical skills and experience that would support his ambitions beyond his placement.

Reflecting on Rory’s progress, Leanne said: “We helped him believe in himself and see that there were better things out there for him. He created his own identity.”

He also wanted to give something back.

After learning how a local charity had supported his family, Rory chose to fundraise by completing a 22-mile sponsored walk. He confidently stood in front of many Wilderness Way team members to explain why the cause mattered to him and encouraged others to support it. It was a moment that reflected just how far his confidence and self-belief had come.

One Team Around Rory

Throughout his placement, every member of the wider team played a part.

Education, wellbeing and outdoor practitioners weren’t introduced as separate services but as trusted adults who became part of Rory’s support network. Together, they created consistent routines, encouraged his interests and worked alongside his residential team to provide joined-up, therapeutic support.

Describing those relationships, Rory said:

“They’re good to speak to and have a laugh with. They understand where I am and the way I work.”

Returning Home

One of the most significant outcomes was the restoration of family relationships.

With careful planning, daily contact and gradually increasing family time, Rory and his mum were supported towards reunification. By the end of his placement, everyone involved agreed he was ready to return home, with ongoing structured support remaining in place after he left. As part of his own safety plan, Rory also chose additional measures to help him maintain positive routines and reduce the risk of returning to previous influences.

Looking Ahead

Rory’s final days at Wilderness Way reflected just how much the placement had meant to him.

The team organised a leaving celebration inspired by a theme Rory had embraced throughout his stay. He had made the house feel like home, proudly personalising his bedroom and filling the house with memories, photographs and achievements. When he left, he took canvases of those memories with him. The day after returning home, he rang the team simply to tell them he was homesick for them.

Looking back, Leanne reflected:

“You just want to bottle that magic he gives off. He reflected, took everything on board and embraced every opportunity.”

For the team, Rory’s story is a reminder of what can happen when a young person is surrounded by consistency, patience and people who believe in them. Through trusting relationships, therapeutic support and opportunities to experience success, Rory left not only with new skills and ambitions, but with greater confidence in himself and hope for the future.

When asked what his time at Wilderness Way had meant to him, Rory summed it up:

“It’s helped me stop bad habits and improve my mental health and wellbeing.”

Ultimately, it was Rory’s willingness to embrace those opportunities, alongside the unwavering support of the people around him, that made his progress possible.

Reflecting on his time at Wilderness Way, Rory offered this advice to other young people beginning a similar journey:

“Give it a chance. I’ve found it pretty successful; it’s helped me in different ways… It’s completely changed the way I think about things, and the outcomes of things. This has made me open a new book and see what happens…”

Thank you, Rory, for sharing your journey with us.

Please note: To protect the privacy of the young person and their family, Rory is a pseudonym and some identifying details have been omitted. Rory’s words, experiences and the outcomes described are his own.

Photo by Sebastian Radu on Unsplash