Lydia shares how reaching out for help boosted her confidence and gave her the direction she needed to look forward to the future.
My name’s Lydia and I’m 20 years old. I had a pretty normal childhood but my dad was an alcoholic, which made the dynamic of my family a bit weird.
I found out about my local EveryYouth charity, Roundabout, when I was around 16 years old. I came to their services and offloaded everything that happened. I moved into a hostel and then into my own flat when I turned 18. I got into debt but through the help of EveryYouth Employed, I received budgeting advice which helped me get out of debt.
I was offered therapy sessions as well thanks to EveryYouth Healthy. At first I was offered six sessions, and I showed up to all of them. I ended up doing 12 sessions. I feel much better, much more confident, and have more direction in my life.
I probably wouldn’t have gone to university if it wasn’t for the support I received. I know what I want to do, I’m confident in myself and I feel safe and happy as well.
“I know what I want to do, I’m confident in myself and I feel safe and happy as well.”
I’m completing a course called Working With Children, Young People and Families. It’s a foundation course and I can go on to do a Bachelors of Social Work after that. I’m really enjoying it at the minute. Because I have lived experience of homelessness, it makes people comfortable around me.
I really enjoy helping people and it brings me a lot of joy. I’m bringing a negative from my past and turning it into a positive to make sure that young people don’t go through the same thing that I went through.
Home to me is somewhere that is safe and comfortable and warm. It’s somewhere I’m able to decorate it any way I want to. I’d love to move to the countryside and have a big garden with flowers and 20 cats.
I’m really proud of myself and really happy I took opportunities that were there for me. For a really long time it felt like nothing was there for me. Looking back, I’m glad that I eventually asked for help. I don’t regret it one single bit.
My advice to other young people in a similar situation would be to ask for help. There’s no shame in reaching out and saying that you’re going through something because people are there to help you and support you.
