After spending 10 days sleeping rough, Stevie reflects on how she found support through EveryYouth’s Delivery Partner, The Amber Foundation. With the help of EveryYouth Employed, she rebuilt her confidence, developed new skills and is now working as a care worker.
My name is Stevie* and I found myself facing homelessness after being evicted from my flat. I had a collapse in my mental health which led to me losing my job through a series of absences at work. I really struggled.
I spent 10 days on the streets. Sleeping rough was scary, especially when it started to get dark and cold. I remember going to a local library to keep warm. That’s when I found out about my local EveryYouth charity, Amber.
The programme has helped turn my life around. It’s gave me a routine and stability, especially coming straight from the streets. My mental health was in tatters, and I thought it was beyond repair but since being at Amber I have gained confidence in myself. I took part in lots of volunteering opportunities whilst living at Farm Place.
You don’t realise how quickly you can disappear, sometimes I secluded myself in a bubble. Gaining people skills through volunteering at Amber meant it wasn’t a shock getting back to work.
The workshops were particularly helpful, including budgeting and debt management. I also went to some of the mental health workshops too. It helped me understand my self-worth and what qualities I have. It increased my self-esteem as well.
All the staff are great, you can go to them with anything and they will help you the best they can or signpost you. They’re always there for you.
I’m a different person now, for the better. I don’t act on impulse anymore. I genuinely feel optimistic about my future whereas if you’d asked me that last year, I wouldn’t have known what to say. I feel positive about my life now I can see an end goal. I see Amber as a pit stop in my life, to be able recharge and get things under control again. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the Amber Team Leaders supporting me.
I am currently working as a care worker in a local care home. I want to move closer to work and have a place to call my own again. Now, I am getting up at 5am to cycle and catch a train to work but it is showing how committed I am to the job.
I want to continue building my social life. If it wasn’t for Amber, I would have probably been in a dead-end job that I wouldn’t have enjoyed and still dealing with the same issues but without the support and guidance.
Find out how you can help more young people like Stevie access the support they need.
*Name has been changed.
