Catriona Nunn This World Care Day we are ‘Celebrating Every Journey’ by speaking to care leaver alumna, Milda Ambra about her experience at York.
Milda Ambra was 16 years old when she found herself alone, navigating a world that didn’t seem built for people like her. While her classmates revised for their A-levels at kitchen tables under warm, familiar lights, Milda was sleeping on an air mattress, preparing to move yet again.
“When I was starting my A-levels, I was living in a women’s refuge,” she recalls. “I did my GCSEs while homeless, so I didn’t get the grades I wanted.”
The road to university – often a stressful yet exciting time for students – felt like an impossible climb. Without the steady presence of family, Milda faced a reality most of her peers never had to consider: affording food, securing housing, and finding her way through an application system designed with little understanding of care-experienced students.
“University was always something I wanted to do,” she says. “But I was living from benefits day to benefits day. My school didn’t know how to support care leavers because they’d never had one before. I had to figure everything out on my own.”
In a world where success often hinges on support networks, Milda had to build her own. Yet despite the hurdles, her determination to succeed and her passion for mental health drove her forward.
Amid these obstacles, Milda searched for a university that offered more than just academic excellence. She needed somewhere that understood her situation, somewhere she could feel safe and supported. Milda needed somewhere that wouldn’t leave her without a home over the holidays.
That’s what led her to the University of York.
“The reason I chose York was the support they had for care leavers,” she explains. “They offered year-round accommodation, which was crucial because I didn’t have anywhere else to go. They also had financial support, and at the time, it was one of the best offers for what I wanted to study.”
Arriving on campus, she braced herself for the unfamiliar. While other freshers unloaded cars packed with boxes and parents fussed over furniture arrangements, Milda moved in alone. But York had anticipated that.
“We found out three days before arriving that they would provide a kitchen and bedding pack. And when I got there, there was a little chocolate bar on my pillow,” she says, smiling. “It was such a small thing, but it made me feel really welcome.”
“It’s about giving people the opportunity to show their potential – to become who they’re meant to be.”
As the months passed, York’s care leaver support continued to prove invaluable, not just financially but socially.
“The university kept offering more help, like paying for accommodation,” she says. “It felt like a real community. My best friend now is another care leaver I met at university through that support.”
For the first time in years, Milda felt like she belonged.
University was never going to be easy, but for Milda, the challenges came thick and fast. While juggling a demanding nursing degree, she was also facing a life-altering health crisis. In January, just before her graduation, everything changed.
“I was rock climbing when I broke my foot,” she says. “At first, I thought it was just a fracture. But then doctors started talking about amputation. Now, it’s the most likely plan.”
The weight of that reality settles heavily. For someone who had found strength in sports (boxing, netball, running) being unable to walk, let alone return to the hospital wards as a nurse, has been devastating.
“I can’t work on the wards right now,” she says quietly. “I can’t walk, I can’t do sports. Netball and boxing have been my whole life. I keep reminding myself that once I have the amputation and get a prosthetic, I’ll be able to work as a nurse again. Right now, I’m just trying to adapt.”
Without the university’s financial support, this could have been the breaking point. But York stepped in, offering emergency accommodation when she lost her ability to commute and ensuring she could continue focusing on her future.
“There were months when I struggled to afford my rent,” she admits. “But I had savings, something I never had before. I wasn’t scared like I used to be. I knew I wouldn’t be homeless again.”
For many care leavers, university isn’t just about getting a degree; it’s about breaking the cycle of instability.
“When I came to university, I was in debt to my brother,” Milda says. “Now, I’ve graduated, I have savings, I rent my own place and I have a car. It’s given me a sense of stability I’ve never had before.”
Beyond the financial support, York provided something equally transformative: community.
“There was practical help: filling out paperwork, dealing with accommodation issues, even emergency housing during COVID. But there was also emotional support. People who understood where I came from. Weekend trips, socials – things that helped me feel like I belonged,” she says.
“For most students, if things go wrong, they have family to fall back on. I didn’t have that. The university became that safety net.”
Milda’s resilience and the support she received from York allowed her to achieve what once seemed impossible. She completed her undergraduate and is now studying for a postgraduate masters in mental health research – a field she is deeply passionate about.
“When I came to university, I was in debt to my brother. Now I’ve graduated, I have savings, I’m renting my own place, and I’m prepared for the future. It’s given me a sense of stability I’ve never had before.”
“When I started, I was anxious about talking about my background. Now, I’m confident in who I am. I’ve learned to see my experiences as strengths.”
Reflecting on her journey, Milda is clear about the impact that York’s support had on her life.
“Had I not had the funding, I don’t know if I would have been able to finish university,” she says. “It wasn’t just about money – it was about being given the chance to live as normally as possible.”
As she looks ahead to her masters and career in mental health research, Milda is determined to use her experiences to help others. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of education, compassion, and community.
“It’s not just about getting a degree,” she says. “It’s about giving people the opportunity to show their potential – to become who they’re meant to be.”
If you would like to learn more about how you can support or mentor care-experienced students like Milda, visit the York for Life platform to find out how you can make a difference.
Find out more about York’s University of Opportunity Fund at https://www.york.ac.uk/university-of-opportunity.
