Roundabout has found that the majority of young people who leave home do so due to a breakdown in family relationships and they feel like they can no longer stay there. This is exactly what happened to Christie, but since then, she has taken huge steps into turning her life around.
When she was 18, Christie left the family home and moved into Roundabout’s hostel where she was safe and had dedicated support from her allocated Key Worker. She made good progress towards living independently and after three months, she was supported to move into her own accommodation and live with her partner.
However, things started to change and after a while, Christie ended up separating from her partner. She’d had a little girl and was living on her own, and had difficulties with budgeting her money efficiently.
Roundabout began to support Christie and helped her budget her money, maintain her tenancy and discuss ways in which she could become self-sufficient in the long-term. Her Support Worker referred Christie to the Jobs Coach at Roundabout, whose role is funded by the H&M Foundation, so Christie could take the first steps on making plans for her future.
“I’d always wanted to be a Teaching Assistant, but because of the financial costs involved had never pursued it,” explained Christie.
“I thought that this dream was something that would never happen as I couldn’t afford to study or gain the necessary qualifications. I also didn’t really know where to start!”
The Jobs Coach referred Christie to Roundabout’s Peer Education Team, who are all young people affected by homelessness that go into schools to hold homeless education lessons. They aim to break down stereotypes associated with homelessness and inform students of where they can go for help. By being a Peer Educator, Christie has been able to get a real experience of a classroom environment, build her confidence by talking in front of students and gain a qualification.
The Jobs Coach also contacted local colleges to explore other courses that are available. Thanks to the bursary supplied by the H&M Foundation, Christie is now signed up to the Level 3 Award in Education and Training.
“The bursary has made it so much easier for me to access education,” says Christie. “It has enabled me to complete the course and will help me achieve my dream. Without the bursary, this wouldn’t have been possible.”
Christie is really happy that she is finally starting to look at her future career in something she has always wanted to do. Once she has completed her course, the Jobs Coach at Roundabout will support Christie in looking at the next steps she needs to take towards achieving her goal of becoming a Teaching Assistant.
“It’s really good to have this support from the Jobs Coach. She has helped me access new opportunities that I wouldn’t have known how to do on my own. For me, it’s one less thing to worry about because I know support is there.”
Christie is excited for her future and is looking forward to a time where she is able to work in her ideal role and support herself and her daughter.
“There is a positive quote that I really like, which is: ‘Actions may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without actions’.
“Thanks to Roundabout, the Jobs Coach and the H&M Foundation, I am now able to take actions towards my future.”
Roundabout supports 250 young people like Christie every single day. Our Peer Education project helps to turn their lives around, and aims to prevent other young people from experiencing homelessness in the future.
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