Talan

Born and bred in Cornwall, Talan still lives there with his family whilst deciding whether to go to university, or to pursue his dreams of a career in the military.

At the age of seven, Talan was frequently excluded from the classroom and needed full-time supervision from a dedicated classroom assistant. Talan often struggled to form friendships with his classmates and neighbours, preferring to be on his own, or with his mum and his pets.

At 14, Talan still described himself as a bit of a loner, and found school a struggle, often clashing with teachers and other pupils - though he stayed on to complete his A-Levels.

We’ve seen you aged seven and 14 – but where are you now?

"Well, right now I'm in the process of working out which direction to go in with my life. I have a few options; university, work, or possibly an apprenticeship."

Are you following the path you imagined for yourself when you were those ages?

"Not exactly. Some of the things I would like to have done are no longer possible, so I'm having to adapt and change according to how my life dictates."

And how have your relationships changed?

"My relationships haven't actually changed a great deal. That's one thing that has been fairly consistent. I suppose I'm more confident now than I was previously, but that's possibly something that comes with age as much as anything else."

Looking back to those ages, what advice would you give yourself?

"Looking back I would probably tell myself to be more confident. Also, to start preparing for what I want to do further in advance, instead of leaving the preparation to the last minute. I would also make sure that I think hard about what I want to do with my life instead of rushing into making decisions just to fit in."

Are there any moments you look back on and think ‘perhaps I would have done that differently’?

"Oh plenty, but that's part of life - mistakes are as important as successes in life. They form part of our character and life experience. And usually help us to improve."

Where should we expect to find you when Up New Generation returns in seven years' time?

"In seven years' time I hope to have found a life I enjoy and to have something to show for the last few years. Beyond that I can't speculate on what I will be doing."