After coming to Roundabout last year, Libbi has gained the confidence to live in a flat on her own. Thanks to the support of our Dispersed service in Rotherham, she is now looking forward to the future.

Last year, Libbi was having issues at home and ended up seeking help from Roundabout’s services in Rotherham. She was given a room at our Rotherham Hostel, living alongside four other young people.

At first, Libbi found it hard – she’d always been quite shy and was spending a lot of time in her room. With the support of her keyworker, Nimo, she plucked up the courage to attend weekly cooking sessions – not only learning to cook healthy, nutritional meals, but also beginning to socialise with the other young people. Day trips to Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Go Karting also helped Libbi to get out of her comfort zone, growing in confidence along the way.

After a few months at Broom Road, and a few group bbqs to boot, Libbi was ready to take the next step and move into a Roundabout ‘Dispersed’ property in Rotherham. Although living more independently was challenging at first, it also gave Libbi the chance to make the space a bit more her own, and build confidence around the skills needed to live alone.

“I realised how much I was missing out on as a teenager. Roundabout has really helped me with relationships, with confidence and with my independence.”

With her Nimo’s support, Libbi also recently got back in touch with her dad – having not seen him for around six years. She’s enjoying rebuilding a relationship with him, and is grateful for him doing the occasional food shop for her.

A lot has changed over the past year, and Libbi has a powerful message to her 17-year-old self:

“Everything will be ok. You’ll get through it. I’ve learnt that, because of Roundabout, bad things do get better.”

As Libbi prepares to apply for her own council flat, she feels more ready to take that next step towards living fully independently. Although Libbi has nerves around the move, she’s really looking forward to being able to paint the walls, and hopes to get a cat to keep her company.

Photo: Since coming to Roundabout, Libbi has felt able to get creative again. Here she is with a mural she painted to represent the Roundabout Journey, which is now proudly hung in the entrance to Sherwood House, one of the supported accommodation options in Rotherham.