Nick, 22*
Since leave school at the age of 16, I have had some quite serious issues with drugs and alcohol. I was unable to hold down a job and live with my parents at home. After several years, it became apparent that I needed professional help and also my parents could no longer support me.
It was the local council I spoke to first and once I had explained my situation, I was told about Lydney Gateway Project, which is a support housing scheme for young people aged 16-25.
After filling in some forms and going for an interview at Lydney Gateway, I was offered a place. Luckily, I was able to move in straight away. I met other residents and staff members and started to settle in.
I did need a lot of support, which was available constantly, whether it was a quick chat or a workshop – cooking a meal for example – or at times extra help with things such as setting up a repayment plan for an unpaid overdraft.
However, despite moving forward in some ways, I was slipping back into my old ways.
I was involved in a serious accident whilst stupidly hitchhiking at night. As a result, I broke my leg and had to have several pins fitted as well as suffering a pulmonary embolism. In hospital, I was extremely low and without the help and support I got from residents and staff I really don’t know how I would have made it through. When I came out of hospital, staff and residents made arrangements for me to move into a ground floor room at Lydney Gateway which was so helpful.
Since this time I feel I have come so far and owe a lot of thanks to many people who helped me. I am happy to say that drugs and alcohol do not phase me anymore and the accident has shown me there is so much more to life and that I have so much more to live for.
Some would say that before moving to Lydney Gateway, I was off the rails. My relationship with my Mum and Stepdad was non-existent – they tried to help me so many times but I was in too deep and rejected their help. I like to think that I’ve turned my life around – my relationship with my family has improved no end as they can see how far I have come.
In the last week alone I have achieved a number of things, such as successfully gaining independent housing, through the Homeseekers bidding system. I am so grateful to the staff and residents at Lydney Gateway for helping me to turn my life around. I am ready for work and hope to gain employment in the near future. I am going to use this opportunity to build myself a wonderful life and a lovely home and am already proud of how my life has changed and how far I have come.
*Names have been changed.
Matthew
I became homeless as a result of a series of events resulting in me choosing to have contact with my baby daughter than to go on courses linked to the Job Centre. I was referred with my partner for floating support, which never happened and was left floundering and confused as no coherent support with other agencies. All through this time I have suffered from extreme stress and depression, also with addictions to drugs and alcohol.
I was evicted from our property along with my partner and due to no support had to leave the majority of our belongings behind.
I went to the Council and registered as homeless, and was lucky to be referred to G3 and offered accommodation at Acorn House. I moved in March 2010 with very few belongings.
My experience of support with G3 have been extremely beneficial, resulting in the building up of my self confidence, my behaviour has improved, there has been a noticeable reduction in my drug and alcohol intake and I engage with staff in my support sessions and also attending workshops. I have also attended various events in the community such as a workshop for the Councillors and local housing associations to understand the effects of homelessness on young people.
I have also helped take a group of elderly residents to a local wildlife park.
I would not have been able to achieve all of this without the support and understanding from the staff at Acorn House.
I have just started to take responsibility for the welfare of the chickens at Acorn house and we are going to start selling the eggs to the community so that we are seen as building relationships to promote G3. I am also working on a project with some of the other residents to develop a sustainable community garden project, where we will be producing vegetables , plants and flowers to sell and reinvest in the project.
I would like to be able to take this forward when I eventually move on from Acorn house.
