Yasmina, our Communications Coordinator who experienced homelessness, explains the power and impact a young person can have when sharing their story with others.
I experienced homelessness while I was studying for my undergraduate degree. At first I was apprehensive about sharing my story. I was nervous about how it would affect my relationships in the future, what people would think of me when I was walking around my local area, and how I could be identified.
It wasn’t until I went for work experience at my local EveryYouth charity, Depaul, that I discovered the impact telling my story had, not just on members of staff, but for the members of public as well. That’s one of the reasons why I chose to work at EveryYouth. EveryYouth celebrate the resilience of thousands of young people across the UK.
You might not think your story is special. Maybe you feel like it’s just one of many. Or you feel let down by the system, I know that I did. But trust us: your voice, your journey and your experiences matter more than you know.
Whether you’ve just moved into supported accommodation, started counselling sessions, finished college, started volunteering, or are simply trying your best right now – your story can inspire other young people to keep going.
Here’s what we’ve learned from the young people who have shared their experiences of homelessness with us:
Youth homelessness can feel extremely isolating. But when someone reads your words and sees themselves in your story, it can help them to feel seen, heard and hopeful for the future. Looking back on my own experience, I wish I had discovered EveryYouth during my homelessness journey. Reading the incredible journeys that other people have been on makes me feel like others understand.
Social media has encouraged us to compare ourselves with others constantly, and sometimes we forget how much progress we have already made. Reflecting on your journey helps you to celebrate your achievements, big and small. I was anxious about sharing my story at first, which is why I shared it anonymously. When I read it back, despite not being where I wanted to be, I was so proud of myself for what I had already achieved, and it even gave me a push to keep going.
At EveryYouth, we work hard to dispel misconceptions around youth homelessness but there are still a lot of stereotypes that perpetuate. Your story can challenge those misguided beliefs. It can show others that young people facing tough times often through no fault of their own are resilient, capable and full of potential.
By speaking up, you can influence support services provided by EveryYouth and our Delivery Partners, so they can be improved for other young people experiencing homelessness. You can also raise awareness about the support you’ve received from your local EveryYouth charity, which helps these vital programmes to continue.
That’s okay! All you need to do is speak from the heart. We want to hear how amazing and resilient you are. Whether you want to write a blog post, record a short video, or just share a quote – it’s your choice. You’ll always have the final say in what gets shared and how.
We want you to know that your safety and wellbeing will always be our top priority.
If your decide to share your story, we will work with you and your support worker to make sure you are comfortable and protected every step of the way. That includes making sure you don’t share anything you’re not ready to and only using your name or photo if you give us permission.
You can stay anonymous. You can use a different name. You can skip photos entirely. You are in control.
But we also want to be honest with you:
If you are comfortable to share your photo, this can have a powerful and lasting impact on people who are listening to or reading your story.
Your voice has the power to:
Stories like mine and yours have helped to raise awareness, change policy and inspire others to reach out for support. When I filmed with the BBC to raise awareness of Depaul UK’s Nightstop service, they received 12 referrals in a week, compared to the six across the entire year that they normally receive.
You can remind people that behind every statistic is a young person with dreams, goals, and a future that is worth investing in.
If you’re ready to share your story, speak to a member of staff at your local EveryYouth charity.
You can also email us at yasmina@everyyouth.org.uk and we can talk through your ideas.
