Sara’s Story

Building a sense of self-worth, resilience and ambition
I’ve been coming to Unitas since June 2024, when I first joined as a junior. I actually found out about it through my sister’s boyfriend. He mentioned they had performing arts here, and because performing has always been one of my passions, I decided to try it. I didn’t know then that walking through those doors would change my life.
What keeps me coming back isn’t just the activities — it’s the people. The staff are so supportive, and everyone makes you feel welcome. It truly feels like a family. Before Unitas, I never really felt part of anything. But here, I found a community where I finally felt like I belonged.
 
My very first memory is stepping into the performing arts room and meeting Keran. We connected instantly through our shared love for singing, dancing, and acting. From then on, we had singing lessons every Saturday morning. She didn’t just teach me how to sing better — she taught me how to believe in myself. She listened when things were hard, encouraged me when I doubted myself, and helped me find my voice in more ways than one.
 
Unitas has helped me discover who I want to be. Before I joined, I had no direction — I didn’t know what my future could look like. I thought I’d just drift and see where life took me. But Unitas showed me that my passion for performing isn’t just a hobby. It’s something real. It’s something I can build a future around.
Because of Unitas, I’m now attending Sylvia Young Theatre School. I’m starting my LAMDA training. I’ve begun auditioning. I’m putting myself out there in ways I never thought I could. And honestly, if it wasn’t for Unitas, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to stand here tonight and share my story with all of you.
Before coming here, I was shy. I barely spoke unless someone spoke to me first. I didn’t think I was good enough. I didn’t think people would want to hear my voice. But this place — your youth zone OUR YOUTH ZONE  — helped me grow into someone I’m proud of. Someone who feels seen. Someone who feels capable. Someone who feels hopeful.
 
Unitas gave me a safe space to dream — and the support to start making those dreams real.
And the truth is, young people like me can only experience this kind of change because people like you choose to support places like Unitas. Your donations don’t just fund activities. They fund confidence. They fund opportunities. They fund futures.
 
I am living proof of what your support can do.

“I didn’t know then that walking through those doors would change my life”

Real people, real stories

Over 15,800 young people have been members of Unitas since we opened in 2019. These are just some of their stories.

We’re more than a youth centre – we help young people unlock their potential.