“To be honest, without you guys and the support of friends and someone believing in me I would not have achieved what I have achieved. At the time I didn’t believe in myself, and you gave me the means to believe in myself, you spurred me on. I am one of your success stories and I cannot thank you enough. You have supported me, not just financially but also emotionally and helped me to believe in myself. You didn’t let me down and knowing there was someone behind me that believed in me made all the difference. I was desperate, cold and alone and made to feel that people like me deserved to be there. In that situation you start to believe it, that this is my lot … It took people like P3 to say no one deserves this.”

– John*

John was referred to our Street Outreach Team by South Cambridgeshire District Council. At the time he was sleeping in a garage and had been doing so for around eight months.

We made a first contact attempt with him within 24 hours of receiving the referral, but sadly that first visit was unsuccessful. It took multiple outreach attempts and tenacity! After enquiries with community hubs and several local organisations contact was established, initial introductions were made and we began to build a solid foundation of trust before arranging a meeting to discuss his needs more fully.

Our approach enabled John to open up and to share the challenges he faced. He talked about his poor mental health and his physical and psychological dependency on alcohol.

John shared his personal story in detail; he had been unemployed for some years and he described a difficult and turbulent relationship with his mother. He explained his homelessness and mental ill-health were the result of this relationship breaking down as he could no longer live with her.

After the meeting we were able to contact John’s GP at a local practice and provide the right support and encouragement for him to hold some very difficult and personal conversations with his doctor. (This was John’s preference over accessing a drug and alcohol specialist service and it worked better for him geographically.) John began to reduce his drinking, and by working together with his GP we were able to support him with this and ensure it happened at a safe rate.

We also supported John in his search for somewhere safe and comfortable to call home.

We ensured we were there with him every step of the way to overcome any potential barriers and navigate the maze that is part of looking for somewhere to live! We attended his Housing Options meeting and assisted with the Home Link application. John was then introduced to the Housing Officer and familiarised with the process for applying for social housing and engaging with his local authority. We also helped him to look at private rented options, explore deposit bond schemes and rent in advance.

Each time we saw John again there was a definite improvement in his motivation and his optimism for the future. He started to talk about working again—and yes, you know it—with continued support to reduce his drinking, support to look at employment options and practical support to attend interviews, we’re delighted to report John now has a job!

We used the personalised budget fund dedicated to our service to assist John financially. So, we were able to cover the cost of his train fare to get him to and from work until he received his first month’s salary, as well as supporting him to purchase the tickets. We were in contact daily and supported him with his anxiety, motivation and most importantly provided some much needed moral support.

Today John is much happier and has even started to repair his relationship with his mum. He is continuing to bid on properties through Home Link and his mum has agreed for him to move back in until he has found a suitable long-term home.

* Name changed for anonymity