“Support has meant I haven’t had to fight alone”

““I’m so happy. It’s my home, my forever home.

When I went to the viewing I just fell in love with it. I couldn’t believe it. I was shocked. I asked, “Why me?”

It’s given my children peace of mind too. I’m in a safe, secure environment.

I’ve fought all my life. I’m tired – physically, emotionally, mentally. Knowing the Housing Support Specialist was there to help guide me to my next home was so important.

It was the social prescribing team, Going Local, at Adur and Worthing Councils who put me in contact with Pathways Home. I was issued a Section 21 from my landlord after 15 years in a home that I loved. I was at rock bottom and had a breakdown. I needed help.

In 2009 I was sectioned due to Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to the break-up of my marriage, cancer, and losing my family home. That feeling came back when I got the Section 21.

I was going through a very fuzzy period. It was like it wasn’t real, like I was living someone else’s life. I wasn’t sleeping or eating. I felt a failure. My body could only cope with so much. Things were out of control and I didn’t have the strength to carry on. I was very low. My children thought I might want to kill myself, but this time I knew to ring the doctors and ask for help. I didn’t want to go back to before.

The GP referred me to the social prescribing team. I got the anti-depressants I needed and then they put me in contact with my lovely Housing Support Specialist.

I’ve never met anyone like her. She’s very passionate about her job, the people she’s working with, and looks for the best outcome for their situation. She has the knowledge to really help somebody.

She was honest about the difficulty in trying to find me a place to rent on my own. The only other option would have been a bed and breakfast. That’s when I broke down. It was awful. I was in no man’s land and I couldn’t see light at the end of the tunnel. I couldn’t be without my dog because he’s my therapy – I thought I might have to sleep in my car to keep him. I lost hope, I felt I lost everything.

But I wasn’t ready to give up again, not like before. We put in a homeless application with the council. The Homeless Intervention and Prevention Officer in the Housing Solutions team said he was going to find me somewhere and because of my age, I was eligible for sheltered housing.

My Housing Support Specialist was on holiday when I got a phone call from Southern Housing asking if I wanted to view a property! It all happened really quickly! I was in my car so I had to stop. I cried. I drove round to the address to have a look. I was like an excited child at the funfair!

If I could award my Housing Support Specialist an MBE, I would. I can’t afford a computer and so she’s really helped as so many things are online. She’s supported me with all the paperwork, the benefits, and complications in the system. She’s helped me get PIP which I didn’t know I could apply for. I didn’t know I was eligible to apply for the Blue Badge either. She also helped me get money from a charitable grant for a washing machine.

We meet every one or two weeks at my new home and during each session, we prioritise what needs to be done first on my to do list. Sometimes we have to be flexible if something urgent comes up.

She’s helping me be able to trust. I feel safe sharing all my documents and financial information with her. I trust her completely. My past experiences have definitely been taken into account during support. She’s been understanding and it’s shaped the support that’s been offered to me. She’s been reassuring. It was like she was sent to me at my darkest hour to prove that there is hope.

A really good support worker is someone who is non-judgemental, listens, and understands. It’s been very important for me to show up as me in this process. It’s important not to judge whether someone needs help based on what they wear. Some people may need a lot of help but wear a mask. I’m in constant pain every day and I’m on long-term ESA but I want to dress up.  I don’t want to dress down for people to believe that I need help.

My Housing Support Specialist will never understand how much she’s helped me and how grateful I am. I feel like I won the lottery when she was nominated to work with me. My dog adores her too!

If you need help, please reach out for support. Don’t give up. Don’t be embarrassed. Call for help – it’s out there. I am so grateful I picked up the phone. I wouldn’t be sitting here if I hadn’t. 

Support has meant I haven’t had to fight alone. Someone’s had my back.”