FOUR years ago, Louis Shakespeare might not have even attended an awards ceremony.

But as a shortlisted nominee for the Young Champions Awards, in the Young Conqueror (Triumph Over Adversity) category, he will be heading to the Holiday Inn on April 13.

Louis, 18, from Lytham Avenue, Monk Bretton, has overcome the difficulties associated with his autism to be one of the best in his class at Barnsley College.

He is about to begin level three of his childcare studies and was nominated for the award by tutor Emma Harvey.

Emma said: “Louis has additional needs and requires one-to-one support in his classes. He has been in the Childcare and Education Professions department for two years now, he is completing his level two with the hope of progressing onto level three.

“He is one of the most polite, helpful, generous, kind and chivalrous young men we have in our department. His confidence has grown massively since he started with us as he is now in a childcare setting for placement, which we have had very positive feedback from and we thought this was reason to celebrate.”

Louis’s mum Karen said he has come on leaps and bounds since he first began to work with specialised support halfway through his time at high school, after being diagnosed as autistic aged 11.

“He suffers with anxiety and struggles with learning. College gives him someone to reassure him and make sure he has understood what he is being taught.

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“To teach a person I think you need to understand their needs and college has done that. He has come on miles, got loads more confidence.

“He has always wanted to go into childcare and was lucky enough to be able to go into a primary school and help out one afternoon a week while he was still at school himself.

“I look at him and think crikey, how far he has come. He is such a nice person, kind natured and not a bad word to say about anybody. It’s lovely for him to have been recognised in this way.”