A Musselburgh teenager has gone from constantly getting into trouble with the police to turning her life around with support from the Bridges Project, which works with young people.

The future is looking bright for Brogan Grieve, a former Musselburgh Grammar School pupil, who has enjoyed a close to 100 per cent attendance rate at college and starting work in a children’s nursery as she pursues her ambition of a career in the childcare sector.

This was almost unimaginable when the 16-year-old started receiving support from Bridges Project’s transitions service co-ordinator Natasha McInninie, part-funded by the Gannochy Trust, in late 2020.

“I was going the wrong way and didn’t like going to school because I just sat on my phone and I didn’t get any help or anything. I felt like I didn’t want to ask for help and that’s why I didn’t go,” said Brogan.

A spokesperson for the Bridges Project, based on Bogpark Road, Musselburgh, said: “This situation resulted in her attendance rate at school dropping to 41 per cent.

“Having no motivation to be at school, the teenager ended up in the wrong social circles, started drinking a lot of alcohol at parties and often did not come home at night. As a result, the police became involved on a regular basis.”

David Grieve, Brogan’s dad, said: “It got to the stage where I was almost on first-name terms with the police officers!

“She was getting into trouble all the time and I thought I was fighting a losing battle at one point.”

Everything changed once Brogan started receiving support, and from her fourth year up until she left school, she was supported by Sheila Laing, virtual headteacher for care-experienced children and young people, and Clare Hindle, principal teacher (GIRFEC, Getting It Right For Every Child).

The teenager also started working with Ms McInninie, who helped her explore college courses as a post-school plan to build her confidence and raise her career aspirations.

Brogan successfully applied for a Level 3 Entry to Learning course at Edinburgh College and received support from Ms McInninie, Ms Laing and Ms Hindle with her transition from school to college.

Ms McInninie also helped the 16-year-old apply for a college bursary and the Young Scot NEC free bus travel card.

“The one-to-one support I received really helped me to understand things and it helped me feel more prepared for going to college,” said Brogan.

At the beginning of this year, she expressed an interest in undertaking some work experience in a nursery to pursue her career ambitions of working in the childcare sector. Ms McInninie helped her approach Musselburgh Private Nursery and arranged an informal interview.

Brogan was welcomed by the nursery and started her placement at the end of March. She works there two days a week and is receiving “great feedback” from the nursery staff.

Her dad credits much of his daughter’s progress to Ms McInninie and the Bridges Project.

He said: “The support has been tremendous. If you said 18 months ago that we would be where we are now I wouldn’t have believed it.

“Brogan hardly attended school and now she has 100 per cent attendance at college. She really enjoys having money in her pocket now and being more independent.”

Brogan is now looking forward to her next steps.

“I will move up to a Level 4 course at college in August, Skills for Work. After finishing college, I hope to secure an apprenticeship with a nursery,” she said.