The Learners Voice: Billie Jo Jackman — From Care to Confidence in Hairdressing
A real story of resilience, finding your voice and discovering where you belong
In this episode of The Learners Voice, Belinda sits down with her own apprentice, Billie Jo Jackman, to talk openly about her journey through care, school, family relationships, anxiety, finding support and discovering confidence through hairdressing.
Billie Jo shares her experience of growing up in care, moving between homes, navigating relationships with family and siblings, and learning to understand the role of social workers and other professionals in her life.
Most importantly, she talks about what happened when she found a supportive environment in hairdressing — and how becoming an apprentice has helped her build confidence, develop new skills and start believing in what she can achieve.
🎙️ In this episode, Billie Jo talks about:
* Growing up in care and moving between different homes
* Making friends and adapting to new environments
* Her experiences of school and friendships
* How she viewed social workers when she was younger
* Family relationships and setting healthy boundaries
* The importance of having someone you can talk to
* The support available to young people leaving care
* Concerns around turning 18 and the possibility of moving out
* Finding the confidence to ask for help
* How her apprenticeship changed her confidence
* Discovering a sense of belonging within a salon team
* Taking part in competitions and challenging herself
* Dealing with self-doubt when something doesn’t go right immediately
* Learning from mistakes rather than seeing them as failure
* Reconnecting with a former foster carer
* Understanding and forgiving her younger self
* How counselling and support helped her manage anxiety
* Her hopes for the future as a hairdresser
💛 Finding confidence through hairdressing
One of the most powerful parts of Billie Jo’s story is seeing the change in her confidence.
She explains how she once struggled with anxiety when speaking to people and would immediately doubt herself when she couldn’t do something straight away.
Through her apprenticeship, mentoring and being encouraged to step outside her comfort zone, she has started to see what she is capable of.
Taking part in a college competition was one example. Billie Jo was encouraged to enter even though her instinct was to say no. She went on to win first place at her college.
Her story shows how important it can be for a learner to have someone who believes in them — sometimes before they believe in themselves.
🏠 Growing up in care and looking towards adulthood
Billie Jo also speaks honestly about the uncertainty she felt approaching her 18th birthday.
Like many young people in care, she had questions about what would happen next and whether she would be expected to leave her placement when she turned 18.
Rather than keeping those worries to herself, she eventually found the courage to communicate how she felt.
The conversation helped her understand that she had more time and support available to her than she initially feared.
Her experience highlights how important it is for young people to know that asking questions, expressing worries and communicating in a way that feels comfortable to them can open the door to support.
💬 Billie Jo’s message to other young people in care
Billie Jo has a simple message for other looked-after young people who may be struggling:
Talk to someone.
She explains that it can be easy to see social workers or other professionals as the “bad guys”, particularly when you are young and don’t fully understand what is happening.
Her perspective has changed as she has grown older, and she now recognises that there are people whose role is to support and protect young people.
✂️ Finding belonging in the salon
For Billie Jo, hairdressing has become about much more than learning a trade.
She describes becoming part of a community within the salon and developing relationships with clients and colleagues.
Belinda reflects on how much Billie Jo has grown during her apprenticeship and the positive impact she has had on the wider salon team.
It’s a reminder that an apprenticeship can provide more than technical skills — it can provide belonging, purpose, confidence and a sense of future.
🧠 Learning from mistakes
Billie Jo chooses two of Belinda Mindset’s cards during the conversation:
“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
and
“If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.”
The conversation explores how feedback and difficult experiences don’t have to mean failure.
Instead, they can become opportunities to learn, improve and keep developing.
🌱 A message for mentors and employers
Billie Jo’s story also highlights the important role that mentors, employers, teachers and other trusted adults can play.
Belinda reflects honestly on her own learning as a mentor and how supporting a young person in care can involve understanding things that aren’t always covered by traditional apprenticeship or employer training.
For mentors and salon owners, this episode is a reminder that:
* Every learner arrives with their own story.
* Confidence can take time to develop.
* Asking for help should be encouraged.
* Communication doesn’t always have to happen face-to-face.
* A supportive workplace can make a huge difference.
* Young people sometimes need someone to believe in them before they believe in themselves.
⭐ A final message from Billie Jo
If you’re a young person in care, going through a difficult time or unsure about your future, Billie Jo’s experience offers a simple message:
You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. Talk to someone you trust, take the opportunities available to you and keep moving forward.
🎧 Listen to the episode
The Learners Voice is a collaboration between Belinda Mindset Education and Concept Hair, sharing real stories from learners and the people supporting them across the hair and beauty industry.
Thank you to our sponsors Pivot Point and Colour Me Safe for supporting The Learners Voice.
Resources for learners and mentors
If you’re a learner, mentor, educator or salon owner looking for practical resources to support your learners, visit belindamindset.com and explore the free resources available through the store.
Your voice matters. You matter. And we want you to thrive on your journey.
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