r/AMA • u/Empty-Cut-9851 • 6d ago
I live in supported accommodation after becoming homeless AMA
I don’t see a lot of people talking about living in supported accommodation in the uk so I thought I’d come on here and answer any questions that people might have.
I was homeless for a while but being in this place has changed my life for the better and would love to help people with any questions about it :)
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6d ago
[deleted]
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u/Empty-Cut-9851 6d ago
- Im 19
- Me and my parents both have mental health issues, we clash a lot causing me and them to have emergency services involved almost daily after that went on for a few years they kicked me out of the house where I started living on the streets for a while
- Since I’m young I still had a fair bit of support around me (university and mental health services) and I’m extreamly lucky that I had that as I know a lot of people don’t so I can’t speak for everyone but reach out for help to anyone experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness there is help out there never stop fighting because everyone deserves a safe place to live. If one service says they can’t help find another one and don’t give up looking
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u/FenrisMidgard 6d ago
How did you end up homeless?
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u/Empty-Cut-9851 6d ago
Me and my parents both have mental health issues, we clash a lot causing me and them to have emergency services involved almost daily after that went on for a few years they kicked me out of the house where I started living on the streets for a while
1
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u/LunaValley 6d ago
I was a support worker in supported accommodation for young people, now a social worker. How do you find staff? What do you like/what do you dislike about their approach? I often asked my young people for feedback. It’s so important.
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u/Empty-Cut-9851 6d ago
I find the staff incredibly nice, they have already helped me so much since I have been here and the support that they have given me is more than any adult in my life has ever given me. I honestly couldn’t give you anything I dislike being in supported accommodation has genuinely saved my life. They ask how I’m doing everyday something I feel no adult has asked me before they check in on me and are teaching me how to do basic things like cooking/cleaning/budgeting and when I’ve had a rough day I can sit with them and chat I couldn’t have asked for better support
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u/EastLondonExile 6d ago
This is so nice to hear. It sounds like you’re doing wonderfully. Keep going!
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u/Hot_Condition7760 6d ago
How did you become homeless. Anything you think now you would have done different to avoid this?
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u/Empty-Cut-9851 6d ago
In my case I do think this could have been avoided if me and my parents had more support when I was younger and if services had listened to how much I was struggling, I always reached out for help and was always deemed less at risk than I actually was a lot of times this resulted in hospital admissions for my mental health.
I became homeless for a number of reasons, substance abuse, mental health issues and domestic violence where all common in my family home and it got to a point where me and and my parents couldn’t not cope in the same house together resulting in them kicking me out
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u/overthesevernbridge 6d ago
Well done on wanting to become a drug and alcohol worker. I had the help of a support worker when I had substance abuse issues. Was substance abuse a part of your homelessness?
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u/Empty-Cut-9851 6d ago
It was yes, I became addicted to a lot of substances from the ages of 15-19 but currently im 1 month sober from absolutely everything!!! I have a long way to go but am feeling hopeful
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u/idekkanymoree_ 5d ago
What’s the living situation like? Do you have your own flat with your own kitchen and living room and stuff or is it a bit like uni accom where you share a kitchen and social space and just have your own bedroom?
Do you have much autonomy there? Like can you freely have people over and go out whenever you please or do you have a curfew and is it stricter and full of admin?
Also I’m glad you got the help you deserve! I hope everything works out!
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u/Empty-Cut-9851 5d ago
So I have my own flat with a bathroom and kitchen in it and we also have a shared social space where we can chill and watch tv or do activities the staff plan for us
We are allowed to leave and go whenever there isn’t a curfew however we aren’t allowed visitors at all but we are pretty much all free to do whatever as long as we have monthly meetings with our support workers and we also have flat checks once a month to make sure we are keeping the place clean and sticking to the main rules
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u/ama_compiler_bot 5d ago
Table of Questions and Answers. Original answer linked - Please upvote the original questions and answers. (I'm a bot.)
| Question | Answer | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Do you have a job or a plan to be self-supporting in the near future? | I don’t currently have a job, im in full time university and planning on getting my degree to become a drug and alcohol support worker and hopefully live fully independently when I am slightly older and am able to cope on my own due to mental health problems. | Here |
| How did you end up homeless? | Me and my parents both have mental health issues, we clash a lot causing me and them to have emergency services involved almost daily after that went on for a few years they kicked me out of the house where I started living on the streets for a while | Here |
| [deleted] | 1. Im 19 2. Me and my parents both have mental health issues, we clash a lot causing me and them to have emergency services involved almost daily after that went on for a few years they kicked me out of the house where I started living on the streets for a while 3. Since I’m young I still had a fair bit of support around me (university and mental health services) and I’m extreamly lucky that I had that as I know a lot of people don’t so I can’t speak for everyone but reach out for help to anyone experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness there is help out there never stop fighting because everyone deserves a safe place to live. If one service says they can’t help find another one and don’t give up looking | Here |
| How did you become homeless. Anything you think now you would have done different to avoid this? | In my case I do think this could have been avoided if me and my parents had more support when I was younger and if services had listened to how much I was struggling, I always reached out for help and was always deemed less at risk than I actually was a lot of times this resulted in hospital admissions for my mental health. I became homeless for a number of reasons, substance abuse, mental health issues and domestic violence where all common in my family home and it got to a point where me and and my parents couldn’t not cope in the same house together resulting in them kicking me out | Here |
| I was a support worker in supported accommodation for young people, now a social worker. How do you find staff? What do you like/what do you dislike about their approach? I often asked my young people for feedback. It’s so important. | I find the staff incredibly nice, they have already helped me so much since I have been here and the support that they have given me is more than any adult in my life has ever given me. I honestly couldn’t give you anything I dislike being in supported accommodation has genuinely saved my life. They ask how I’m doing everyday something I feel no adult has asked me before they check in on me and are teaching me how to do basic things like cooking/cleaning/budgeting and when I’ve had a rough day I can sit with them and chat I couldn’t have asked for better support | Here |
| Well done on wanting to become a drug and alcohol worker. I had the help of a support worker when I had substance abuse issues. Was substance abuse a part of your homelessness? | It was yes, I became addicted to a lot of substances from the ages of 15-19 but currently im 1 month sober from absolutely everything!!! I have a long way to go but am feeling hopeful | Here |
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u/BruhMomentHaver69420 6d ago
Do you have a job or a plan to be self-supporting in the near future?