A ONE-TIME tearaway teenager has gone from argumentative to award winning thanks to a youth development programme.

Six years ago, Charlotte Olden, of Cluny Square, Southend, was 14 and, in her own words, “rude, argumentative, terrible with teachers and messing about in lessons”.

Her academic grades were low and she had no plans to continue beyond her GCSEs.

However, after taking part in a number of Youth at Risk charity programmes, run at Futures Community College, Southend, Charlotte is now looking forward to a successful time at university.

Speaking of one of the programmes she took part in, called Coaching for Success, Charlotte said: “It was like a light bulb switch went in my head and suddenly changed the way I looked at everything.”

She began to take her education more seriously and gained 12 GCSEs before going on to study A-levels.

Two years after the first programme, Charlotte took part in a more intensive challenge, including six months of weekly coaching by a local volunteer, who was trained in life coaching.

As a result, Charlotte, and a group of friends, organised a series of summer events in Cluny Square, including helping to build a summer pavilion and re-painting play equipment.

Charlotte was named Inspiring Individual at the 2011 National Citizen Service Mix It Up Awards and was presented with her award by Princess Anne.

She has since trained as a life coach herself and helps with Youth at Risk’s Girls’ Project in Southend.

Now 20, Charlotte has just begun a three-year degree in English literature at Anglia Ruskin University and hopes to become a secondary school teacher in the future.

She said: “I look at other freshers of a similar age and they just want to have a good time and party at university.

“I work hard and want to do well. I’m focused and know where I want to go in life.”

For more information about Youth at Risk and their Girls’ Project, visit www.youth atrisk.org.uk or phone 01763 241120.