Like so many others at that age, Tina Bayliss thought she had it all. A steady job, her own flat and a car, which added together spelt independence. Life for a 17 year old was good and when she met the man of her dreams it seemed complete.
Yet what started as a match made in heaven quickly turned sour along an all too familiar path.
An introduction to drugs led to shoplifting followed by more serious and violent crime to feed her habit. As the downward spiral continued, Tina lost contact with her family and control of her three children.
The turning point came when Magistrates gave her one final choice. Go to prison or seek help at the Nelson Trust’s ISIS centre in Gloucester, a secure women-only haven offering support for problems related to offending, substance misuse, safety and well-being.
Tina said,
“I’ll be forever thankful I made the right choice. ISIS got to the bottom of why I was offending and saw something in me that I never did. They made me realise it’s more about victims than just thinking about myself.
“As a result, they boosted my confidence and helped me with employment. I’m doing my mentoring course and I hope I can go on and help someone in the same position I was in.”
