Hallie Lusty is a 17 year old young woman from Manchester. She loves outdoor activities, and volunteers as a Young Leader at The Factory Youth Zone, a youth charity in North Manchester. Hallie teaches dance and gets involved in The Factory’s girls group, she is also the main lead for when new girls join, showing them around, introducing them to new people and being their buddy for a night ensuring they are happy and comfortable in the new environment. She is also now getting involved in a new allotment project. On the 8th March Hallie spoke in front of 150 men and women at an event celebrating International Women’s Day, representing the charity and demonstrating her confidence in her own abilities and exciting possibilities for her future. As a direct result of her speech, a £4,000 donation was pledged and the event raised over £16,000 for The Factory.

Yet 2 years ago this wouldn’t have seemed possible and we would have been introducing you to a very different young woman. Overwhelmed with copying with being bullied at school, moving locations and schools and eventually finding herself excluded from school and having to attend a Pupil Referral Unit in Openshaw where  her options for GCSE’s were limited as a result. Hallie-Codie chose to push herself and set herself goals such as increasing her confidence, improving her mental well-being and making new positive friendships.

“We are so proud to call Hallie a member at The Factory – she contributes so much to the offer here, and really goes out of her way to make sure that she is an exemplary young leader – being a real role model, empowering and inspiring other young women in particular those who are less able to help themselves initially”.