Zane is 18. He used to live at home with his Mum and Nan, but ended up being kicked out after their relationship deteriorated. Zane ended up sleeping on the streets for a couple of nights, before coming to Roundabout for help. He’s now living independently and is taking huge steps to turning his life around.
“Living at home with my mum and then my Nan was difficult for a while. We were constantly having arguments and the situation just got worse over time. Eventually, I got kicked out for good.
I slept rough for a couple of nights which was horrible. I didn’t feel safe at all and was worried about what to do, who could help, where to go…it was a scary experience.
I was studying for a qualification in Construction at college and made sure I still went to my lessons, to try and keep some sort of normal routine. I ended up telling someone at my college in Sheffield about my situation and I’m so glad I did. The staff knew all about Roundabout and how they help homeless young people, so they brought me to the Roundabout Homeless Prevention Service in the city centre to chat to the team there.
As soon as I arrived I met a guy called Carlton who works for Roundabout. He’s a Homeless Prevention Advisor, so he sat me down and gave me all my options for what I could do next. As soon as he mentioned the word ‘hostel’, I suddenly realised the situation I was in. I was homeless and was going to have to live in a hostel because I had nowhere else to go.
I immediately thought the Roundabout hostel would be a horrible place and didn’t think it would be safe at all. Carlton was great though, he explained what the hostel was like, and really made me feel better about the situation. I decided to give it a go, as I had nothing to lose.
I was nervous going in for the first time and despite Carlton’s efforts in reassuring me that the hostel was a nice place, I couldn’t get those associations of violence and gangs out of my head. Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
As soon as I walked in the door, a group of lads came and said hello, asked me how I was and gave me a tour. They were so welcoming and friendly, the complete opposite of what I expected. Things were looking up from that moment.
Roundabout’s staff really helped me while you’re living here. When I turned up I had no clue how to do anything – I couldn’t even use their washing machine or cook a meal! They held life skills sessions to help us learn everything we need to know so we can live independently. I learned to cook different cuisines, and also before I moved out I learned how to budget money and to think about all the things that I’d need to be able to afford to live independently.
I had a Key Worker at the hostel called Laura, who was great. She worked with me to sort things that I hadn’t even thought about and came with me to appointments when everything felt so new and overwhelming. For example, realising the importance of paying rent made me want to set up a standing order, so she came with me to the bank to support me through the process.
Having the support of my Nan while I lived at the hostel made a huge difference too. I am really grateful to have her and her support in my life, which I know is more than some people living there have got.
I’ve learned a lot from this experience, but one of the main things I’ve realised is that there are so many stereotypes around homelessness and hostels. I know this because I used to have them myself. I’m part of Roundabout’s Peer Education team so that I can help students understand the realities of youth homelessness. I also want to help other young people avoid even finding themselves in this situation. Looking back to when I was living at home, I realise that had I acted differently, I may not be where I am now. I was disrespectful and took everything for granted, as I didn’t even consider that I could be asked to leave. I assumed I would be fine.
I want to tell young people that their mum asking them to nip to the shop isn’t the worst thing in the world – just do it. If your rooms messy and she wants you to tidy it, get it done. At the end of the day you have a home and as long as you’re safe, you should do what you can to make sure you can stay. Arguing with parents over little things like that can have terrible effects.
I think that if someone had come to my school when I was 16 and told me their story, about how they ended up leaving home and how it all could’ve been avoided, I may not have been in the situation I’m in today.
I’ll forever be grateful to Roundabout for all their help and support. They’ve given me a roof over my head, have made me feel safe and are making sure I’m on the right path to independence.”
We are delighted that Zane progressed so well in the hostel and after a few months, moved out into his own council tenancy. Roundabout continue to support him through our Supporting Tenants service, so he has a dedicated Key Worker who helps him to get used to independent living, and is there to support him through any difficulties.
We’re really proud of Zane and how determined he was to turn his life around, as well as make a difference to the lives of others through our Peer Education project.
Roundabout supports 250 young people like Zane every single day. Please consider making a donation today, to help us give homeless young people in South Yorkshire a brighter future.