I didn’t plan on becoming homeless in February and March last year, the last few months of my undergraduate degree, but a family breakdown meant that I left my family home abruptly with no plan and nowhere to go.
At first, I tried to pretend as if nothing had happened. I attended university in the day and drove to a free public car-park and curled up in a ball in the back seat of my little Renault at night. I would lie in the freezing cold, too terrified to close my eyes and barely able to sleep. In the morning, I felt disgusting and would shower in the university library and walk to classes as if everything was fine. I remember feeling as if everyone was looking at me and knew my secret – that I was homeless.
In addition to studying full-time, I was supporting myself by working part-time in telesales for a clothing company, but after a week the stress got too much and I broke down to my university tutor. He guided me to student services but they were unable to help. I tried my local council but they fobbed me off. I rang all the student accommodations on the university’s website, but they were all full. I was scared and anxious and started to feel desperate and depressed. I missed my routine, I missed my family. I feared nobody was taking responsibility for helping me and that I was getting passed from pillar to post.
After two weeks of sleeping in my car, I began to have some very bad feelings about my life, including suicidal thoughts. The university were alarmed and directed me to Depaul UK, a homeless charity which is part of a national network of 11 charities supported by EveryYouth. Depaul UK offered me emergency accommodation with a host family – and the incredible relief I felt at that moment was something I still struggle to put into words. I remember thinking - at least I have a bed for tonight.
My hosts were so attentive and didn’t ask me anything about my situation, which was refreshing. I used the office of Depaul UK as a place to study and finish my dissertation while staff were finding me alternative places to stay. Without this space and support, I would have dropped out of university. I was still struggling and could not see light at the end of the tunnel. Without the charity’s support and my tutor’s encouragement, I would have given up.
I was focused on finding a stable place to live, but I had no idea how difficult house hunting would be. I went for viewings, but they said I needed a guarantor or a hefty deposit, which I didn’t have. I was living hand-to-mouth with no savings and had around £9,000 of debt. I wasn’t entitled to housing benefit because of my part-time job, but I wasn’t earning enough to cover rent.
With Depaul UK backing me, I went to the council again. Despite my objections, they insisted on getting in touch with my family members, friends and an ex-partner to double-check I couldn’t stay with them, creating additional stress. But the outcome was ultimately positive in that I was able to move into temporary accommodation - a one-bedroom ground floor flat in the town centre – arranged by the council.
I was determined to make it work and spent more money than I could afford on the same mattress I had when I was growing up so that it felt like home. I still struggled to sleep though, partly because of music blasting from the flat upstairs and because the environment felt unsafe.
I finished university and graduated with a first-class degree. Shortly after, I got told that the company I worked for was going into liquidation which meant I would have no means of support. It broke me. My mental health was all over the place. Getting a new job felt impossible.
After a few difficult months of trying for jobs without success, life started getting better when I was given a permanent home by the council. I also went back to university to study a master’s degree and began rebuilding my confidence and looking for work again.
One job I applied for was for a new role created out of a grant from last year’s Evening Standard and Comic Relief winter appeal to EveryYouth, a national charity that annually supports over 2,000 young people (16-25 year-olds) facing homelessness. The role was to involve more young people in EveryYouth’s communications. I was convinced I wouldn’t get the position, but they offered me the job. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted.
EveryYouth in numbers: 2023
2,167 total young people supported
591 young people who received housing support
871 young people who received employability support
414 young people who entered employment, education or training
167 young people whoreceived mental health support
The EveryYouth position has changed my life. It has meant I could come off benefits, I could budget, I could get out of debt and become independent. More than that, it has given me something to get up for every morning. Before, I was just focused on ‘where am I going to live’? Now, I have a pathway and a plan for what I want to do with my life.
The EveryYouth team is based in central London and they have been flexible and supportive. Having an employer understand your experience of homelessness and all that comes with it is so important. If you’re moving from sofa to sofa, you might struggle to be punctual. If you have an appointment with the local council to assess you for housing, you might need to take time off work. It’s important for employers to be flexible when someone is facing the challenge of homelessness.
My encounter with homelessness was short but it changed who I am as a person and how I see myself. I have since reconciled with my family. Looking back, I feel lucky and relieved to be out the other side, but there are so many young people still in the grips of it. If you’re in a similar situation I was in, my biggest piece of advice is: tell your tutor, tell you line manager, be open to your employer. If you don’t ask for help nobody will help you.
But if you do, they can make accommodations to support you and your route out of homelessness could be that bit easier. Take that risk. There are good people out there who want to help you. Let them.
Appeal in a nutshell
What is happening? We have partnered with Comic Relief to launch our A Place to Call Home appeal, with Comic Relief pledging £500,000 to kick off our fund.
Where will money go? To fund charities in London and across the UK helping people who are struggling with the cost of living crisis. The more we raise, the more groups we can fund.
To make a donation, go to: comicrelief.com/winter
How you can help
£10 could provide a young person travel to meet a wellbeing mentor and have a hot meal
£50 could provide travel to work or school for a month for an at-risk youth
£150 could refurbish a bike for an adult refugee giving them freedom to travel independently
£500 could train ten people with experience of homelessness to become homeless health advocates
£1,000 could enable one of our partners to fully support a young person throughout the year
