Success Stories

Caroline Bacon

I always knew about the YMCA. When I was little I used to skate at the YMCA with my sister, but I never realised it provided accommodation.

When I was older I worked away from Derby for about four and a half years. Then one day I lost my job. When I came back to Derby I had nowhere to go apart from my Dad’s caravan in the back garden. As my relationship with my Dad fell apart, I used to sneak out and sleep in fields or in parks. I also started to take drugs, and had been drinking a lot of beer from the age of 17. To cut the story short, one day my Dad gave me a week to move out. I needed a place to live, so I went to Housing Options and they directed me to the YMCA.

Within three days of an interview, I was accepted and had moved in. During my 10 months at YMCA Derbyshire, I learned to get my independence back. I also started to look at life differently – although my life was still a struggle. I started to think less about drugs and beer and I also stopped self-harming. The best thing about my time there was that I met and lived with people who were in the same situation as I was, but we were able to talk about different things. I also started to ask questions about the Christian life. In a way, the YMCA made me think about life in a Christian way.

Now that I have left the YMCA, I have a new job in Derby city centre, which I am happy with. I have stopped taking drugs and stopped drinking. I have also now become a Christian and am a full member of a church in the city. I volunteer as a helper at a youth club and have become involved in a Bible Study group.

I recently helped out at a camp for underprivileged 11 to 14-year-olds, which was awesome. Other than that I am happy at home with my hamster Izzy and my fish Dori.

I have kept in touch with YMCA Derbyshire and I help out with tea and coffee nights on occasional Wednesday evenings. I also represented YMCA Derbyshire at a conference recently in Birmingham. I would recommend YMCA Derbyshire to others, and in fact I recently did to a friend who was in trouble, saying that there’s no shame in being homeless. I also told another person about the education opportunities available.

 

Sarah

Sarah became homeless when she was forced to leave her family home after an argument with her mother. Sarah went to stay with her boyfriend and several other men in a shared house.This was a temporary arrangement due to the nature of the boyfriend’s tenancy.

Sarah contacted Derby Housing Options Centre who then sent a referral to YMCA Derbyshire. An interview was arranged with Sarah which she failed to attend.

YMCA contacted Sarah again a few days later to see whether she still needed accommodation but she felt under pressure to stay with her boyfriend where she was cooking and cleaning for him and his housemates.

A week later an article was published in the local paper about Sarah and her situation. It was reported that Sarah was homeless and had nowhere to stay.The story was picked up by YMCA Derbyshire who then contacted Sarah to invite her for a further interview. YMCA Derbyshire explained to Sarah that she had options about where to stay and it should be her choice where she wanted to live.

Sarah chose to move into YMCA the same day. Since arriving at YMCA Derbyshire, Sarah has been appointed a Key Worker and a Connexions PA, she also regularly attends the Passport to Independence course. She is gradually gaining confidence and feels more settled and secure as well as making friends of her own age.

Sarah’s own individual problems have been identified and she is doing well in making progress with her independent living skills and her education.