Avery shares why she’s proud of herself and why she’d help other people experiencing homelessness ‘in a heartbeat’:
I’m Avery and I’m 19 years old. My mum had me when she was 15, so she was quite young. My mum and dad split up when I was about three years old. My dad wasn’t really around.
I found my local EveryYouth charity, 1625IP in Bristol, and they helped me a lot. Through the help of EveryYouth Employed, a jobs coach helped me explore going back to college to complete a midwifery course. I have always loved kids.
Being part of someone giving birth is such a big thing because they’re going to remember you. My mum remembers her midwife because she was really young, the midwife was there to hold her hand, tell her it’s okay. That’s what I want to do. It’s such a positive job.
When I first arrived at the hostel at 1625IP I was a really angry person, I wasn’t one to listen. I had at least a few kick offs a week, but over time realised that’s not the way to handle things. I have now lived in the hostel for eight months and my support workers have been really good. They have helped me grow up a lot. They have helped me with how I react to things.
“Five, 10 years down the line I’ll be 10 times prouder than I am now, that’s what’s keeping me going, the feeling of being proud of myself.”
I’d get really angry but now I can take those few minutes and just go, ‘whew, it’s not that big of a deal’. They also helped me access therapy and the recovery team because I struggle with psychosis, which I have had since I was quite young. I have been dealing with psychosis a lot better, because I feel more positive in myself and I feel more positive about what’s coming up in the future. I get to enjoy time with my family now.
In my future I see myself being a midwife with my own house, not just a flat, that I get to decorate however I want. I also want to be married. Having somewhere where you can be calm and switch off is really important, because if you’re not comfortable, it’s nowhere near a home.
It’s really easy to look at the negatives, because you face them every day but you will get to that point of feeling safe and secure, you will get that to that point where you feel proud of what you’ve got in your own home.
Five, 10 years down the line I’ll be 10 times prouder than I am now, that’s what’s keeping me going, the feeling of being proud of myself.
A big problem for me was not knowing where to turn and not knowing what to do when I experienced homelessness, but now I know that direct route to support. I can now confidently say I can help others; I’d help anyone in a heartbeat who is in the same situation as me.
