Like many other young people, the road to life on the streets started with family quarrels for 18-year-old Jordan. This is her story…
“I was born in Sheffield but after my mum and dad split up when I was 10 I moved to Rotherham with my mum. I was 15 when I got kicked out by my mum – it was all the usual stuff, family fighting, not getting on with my sister or my mum’s other children – we just couldn’t get on. I lived with my dad for a bit, and then my nan, but things were no better there either.
I was seeing this boy at the time and he had a friend who was a lot older than us who offered us somewhere to live. It wasn’t a good place to be and I knew he used drugs. It was untidy and dirty, but at the time I thought it was better than home as there were no arguments.
After a while, things got difficult. He wouldn’t buy anything for the house, not even toilet roll, because all his money would go on drugs – and then he’d want us to lend him money to get more.
I’ve always tried to be independent so have worked since I was 14 in all sorts of jobs after school and I was working in a warehouse by this time, trying at least to earn an income. While we were living there though I’d have to spend it all as quickly as I could because otherwise it would get stolen.
It got very bad in the end and me and my partner knew we had to leave, even though we had nowhere to go.
We were on the streets of Rotherham for a couple of night, not sleeping but just walking and walking because we had nowhere to go. The only things we had were the clothes we were wearing.
I take pride in my appearance and wanted to look good so I always had my nails and lashes on, but that meant that nobody believed we were homeless because we looked okay and we were wearing nice clothes.
We’d get abuse from other homeless people when they asked for money and we didn’t have any – we had no more than they did because we really were homeless.
You see homeless people and they are using drugs or spending their money on alcohol but now I understand why – you just want to get your mind on other things.
Knowing something needed to change, we contacted Rotherham’s homeless team and it was my social worker who put me in touch with Roundabout and I moved into their emergency accommodation.
It seems funny now but at first I cried my eyes out because I hated it. It was all so overwhelming, but I love it now and know it’s the best place I’ve lived.
I had my own room, my own space and it’s been like a proper little family – we’d all chill out in each others’ rooms, know where we were all going and what we were doing – just looking out for each other.
Everybody is really good friends and the staff at Roundabout have built my confidence up loads.
If you want to go and get a job or learn some qualifications they will help you all the way.
I’m living in a Roundabout property on my own now but the team are still supporting me and making sure I’m alright.
I’m starting training on a CSCS scheme – I know it sounds funny and I know I’ll have to do something about my nails but I want to work outdoors and be a brick layer! I know now that I can do it.”
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