Awards for turnaround; HONOURS: Ex-homeless teen now on right track.

Byline: By Dale Williams 

A FORMER homeless Walsall teenager who battled with drug abuse has netted two national awards after turning his life around.

Anthony Stone was named Best Overall Young Achiever and the Best Learner in the national Learning and Skills Council Stars for Skills Achievement Awards.

The 19-year-old, from Aldridge, said his life was heading in a downwards spiral until he was given the opportunity to prove himself.

And he is now looking to join a management course at Morrisons supermarket.

He said: "I was kicked out of school for fighting, got into more trouble, started drinking and smoking cannabis.

"I was doing stupid stuff and at 15 ended up in a hostel for the homeless. In fact I ended up on a community order looking at the possibility of ending up going to a young offenders' institution for the things I got up to.

"I'm not proud of any of it.

Because of the community order I was put on a Kickstart course."

The course, which was coordinated by Oldbury-based Black Country Training Group gave him the chance to gain key skills and qualifications.

Anthony completed the course almost two years ago and since then has gone on to find a fulltime job at Morrisons in Aldridge and is supporting his own young family.

He said: "I love working and not having to rely on people. I was going to be a nothing but thanks to Kickstart I sorted myself out. It got me back on track and made me see sense.

"With courses like these, you can make the most of them.

"People might think I'm only a shelf-stacker but I'm proud to be a tax-payer and not labelled as someone who is a neet which is not in education, employment or training."

Anthony's attitude so impressed staff at BCTG they put him forward for the national award.

CAPTION(S):

FUTURE IN STORE... drug abuse battler Anthoy Stone.