Oct252022

“My little brother and I moved in with my granddad when I was two. We’d lived with our Mam until then, but she struggled with drugs, alcohol and prison, and we couldn’t stay there. It was great, though, with my granddad.
“He did absolutely everything he could to care for us, and he made sure we went to good high schools and everything. But two years ago, Granddad’s health got a lot worse. The authorities said he needed to be moved into a bungalow, but they wouldn’t let him have one while he was looking after my brother and me.
“They said we couldn’t live with him anymore. I was only 16, and I’d never imagined I’d have to leave everything I’d known, all my security, so young. I don’t think many 16-year-olds would feel they could cope with that.
“My brother moved in with his Dad, but as mine had never been interested in me, I didn’t want to live with him. It was so daunting to have to find somewhere to live on my own. I couldn’t stop worrying that I would end up homeless.

“It was such a relief when I walked into YMCA"

“The staff felt like they really cared. They were happy! Really welcoming. I moved into my own YMCA flat in the school summer holidays.
“That first morning when I woke up away from Granddad was quite scary. I didn’t know what to do. Then my support worker, Irene, knocked on my door to say hello and make sure I was alright. That was so good. She is amazing. She has made me who I am today.
“Ever since I arrived, I’ve felt so supported. There wasn’t a single thing you could go to the staff with that they didn’t find a solution for. They helped me with budgeting, learning to cook proper meals and how to pay my bills. They’ve also helped me with writing a CV and signing up for job websites. Nobody had ever shown me that before.
“I got a job in a restaurant while I was still studying, and I’ve been there a year and a half now.”
“I finished college successfully, and I’m really proud to say that I’ve now been promoted to front-of-house manager. I didn’t expect that at 18! I had been so worried about what would happen to me when I had to leave Granddad, but I battled the fear, and I’ve actually really surprised myself at how I’ve coped and what I’ve managed.
“It’s given me confidence for life on my own. I’ve recently moved out of YMCA after two years and into my own place, but I know that YMCA will always be there if I ever need anything. If the people who support YMCA ever wonder if their donations make an actual difference, I can tell you they really do.
“Thank you for helping me work towards my future.”

“[Stephen] clearly had so much potential"

Much of the practical support we give young people like Stephen, who are trying so hard to become confident and independent, is only made possible by kind people like you.
“When Stephen came to live with us at YMCA, he was 16 and homeless.
“He clearly had so much potential, but the confidence to let it out wasn’t there. He was shy and withdrawn and didn’t know how to live independently. But we’ve been helping him with that and with finding a job. He started work as a waiter, and he did so well that in just six months, he was promoted to shift supervisor on a permanent contract.
“It has all given him confidence, and recently he made the decision to move out, with weekly support from YMCA. However, he is steadily taking more and more responsibility for managing household bills. It’s so nice to see such fantastic progress and Stephen becoming such a determined and confident young man.”

Irene, Stephen’s key worker