Welcome to Shauna

Q&A with Shauna, Fearless Outreach Worker – Cardiff

About Shauna

Shauna joins the Fearless Wales team and will With a passion for bringing communities together, Natalia will be engaging with young people, ensuring their voices are heard, to create impactful content that raises awareness of our 100% anonymous reporting service and encourages young people to speak up about crime, to help keep themselves, their friends and where they live safe.

We sat down for a chat with Natalia to find out more about her experience and what she hopes to achieve in her new role.

Tell us a bit about your background

I used to hate school and I would never take it seriously, so education never used to be a priority to me. However, it was not until I attended a careers event at my school which made me realise how important my education was and the impact this can have on my future.

Since the careers event, I studied hard in school so I could progress to University. After achieving the grades I needed for University, I chose to study Criminology and Social Policy as I have always wanted to understand how the criminal mind works. I then chose to expand my knowledge further by choosing to do a master’s degree in Cybercrime and Terrorism.

As a result, I now see the importance of building trust within the community, understanding the consequences of getting involved in crime and being able to spot the signs and do something about it. I truly believe in prevention, so that people have the opportunity to change their behaviour, just like I did, so they can succeed.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?

‘Don’t give up. You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.’ Without having this mindset, there is no way I would have been able to progress to University and meet the most amazing people that have supported me through my journey.

What are you most looking forward to in your role with Fearless?

To work with young people and professionals from a range of different backgrounds. I love meeting and speaking to new people, so this is something I look forward to do in my role.

We encourage young people to be fearless in speaking up about crime – what does ‘fearless’ mean to you?

To encourage others to speak up! It is not easy to speak up about crime, especially with being a young person like myself, but when you truly believe in what is right, then we no longer need to fear speaking up.

What would you say to a young person who has information about a crime but isn’t sure who to talk to?

I would firstly encourage them to speak to a trusted adult and if this was not an option for them then I would tell them about resources that are available for their specific needs. I would also talk to them about Fearless being a charity that listens and wants to prevent young people from being involved with crime.

Who or what is inspiring you right now?

My mam is my biggest inspiration. She has always supported me with every decision I have made, and she is the reason I believe in hard work, kindness, supporting others and making a difference.