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Stories of real young people
The following stories are true but we have changed details of name and referral point to keep the identity of the young person secure.
Kevin
Kevin had lived with a foster parents before living independantly in a supported housing scheme in the Shipley area. His tenancy failed because he developed arrears with his rent and found coping with living independantly difficult.
For a time he became depressed and began to self harm. He lived in a succession of temporary hostels but found it difficult to move on independently.
He was referred to Bradford Nightstop when he was 17. Kevin stayed with a variety of hosts and over the space of a month hosts noticed great changes in his confidence, general appearances and that his self harming had stopped.
Bradford Nightstop was able to link up closely with the referral agency looking for longer term accommodation for Kevin. He moved into a supported housing scheme and for a while was settled. After a few months he returned to Bradford Nightstop. He had been evicted for not following the support plan drawn up with him. He was depressed and on medication. To cap it all he had "flu".
We were able to provide him with the chance to spend more than one night with a host whilst his"flu" improved. The opportunity to talk and to reflect helped him to choose his next option.
He decided with the support of his social worker to go back to his Mums. This is six months ago now. We hope thinks are working out for Kevin but we know he knows how to access us if things get too much again.
Sarah
Sarah was 19. She came from a chaotic family background. She has moderate learning difficulties and found communicating with some professionals frustrating. As she was unable to manage money she became in arrears and this led to a small amount of stealing from people in hostels.
Sarah used our scheme for over a month and every day that she was referred she was very fortunate to get a bed. We linked in very closely with the worker looking for longer term accommodation and after a long search Sarah agreed that she should move to another authority that was able to provide accommodation with high enough support. This is over a year ago and we have heard that Sarah is still resident in the supported hostel she lives in.
Waqaas
Waqaas was 21 and had been exploited by the friends he had been living with due to his physical disability. We were able to offer a longer term placement due to very specific needs. We were able to help him keep in touch with his girlfriend throughout his stay. After a week he was offered an appropriate hostel although he had to move out of Bradford to live.
Tony
Tony was a chef. He had worked abroad for the summer season and had organised a new job with accommodation in Bradford. Unfortunately the plane he came back on was delayed for a few hours and so he was late for the initail meeting with his new employer. The job would provide him with a room too. Tony rang to explain that the plane had been delayed when he got to the UK airport. The employer told him to "foget the job then". Tony used Nightstop for one night and then secured another catering job with accommodation by the next evening.
Philippa
Philippa was 19. She had been living in a supported housing scheme. However she had hidden a drink problem and once this emerged she was asked to leave. Philippa wanted to move in with her partner Sally but neither were near the top of the waiting list for accommodation. We found that Phillipa could manage on Nightstop as long as Hosts put any alcohol out of sight. Philippa decided to go back to the streets and her friends there rather than look for other appropriate accommodation. In spite of a major effort from a referral agency to help her change her mind she set off with only a sleeping bag to sleep in. Phillipa has not since referred and I have often thought about her and just hoped that things have worked out for her and Sally.
Farzana
Farzana was 20 when she felt it necessary to leave home due to harrassment from her family. She lived with a variety of friends for a week before using Nightstop. She moved into a hostel in an area of Bradford away from her family. Farzana hopes to find a job as soon as she is settled as she has completed some college courses in the last two years.
All of the above we hope have had positive outcomes. Nearly every Nightstop user does move on into an appropriate hostel...a supported housing scheme...in with friends...into private rented accommodation...OR THEY GO BACK HOME... to consider and plan.
We aim to break the cycle of being on the streets. Research by Shelter suggested that it takes an average of 4 weeks for someone to stop living in accommodation...to sleep rough and to end on the streets for a long time.