It’s A-level results day… you might have a child, grandchild, cousin, friend who’s been into their old school or college this morning to pick up a sealed envelope with a potentially powerful steer on their future in it, I know I do.
Depending on what they plan to do next, the letters on those pieces of paper carry great importance.
For some the results are a validation of their last 2 years of work, which in the face of the emotional turmoil of late teen-hood and the additional cognitive load of impending adult life and independence, is even more extraordinary.
For others they may represent disappointment; in themselves, in the rigid education system or in their school.
For all, however, today marks a point of change, a past chapter is closed and the future is open, in all its terrible and beautiful glory.
When a person walks through our door for the first time it can feel like results day before the envelope is opened.
The feeling in the waiting room on a busy drop-in day is one of apprehension with an undertone of hope. People often arrive with documents or letters that have an equal power over their futures, an eviction notice, a benefit sanction, a debt letter to name a few, but with a professional, expert eye, our frontline workers can see through the emotional weight and carve a path through to a brighter future.
A recent note of feedback states that the most useful thing to come out of their drop-in meeting was “Progress, for once I feel like I have made progress thanks to KCAH”.
And that’s what we pride ourselves on, making progress, almost every journey through the experience of homelessness with KCAH is one of progress; with dogged determination, open hearts and a professional handshake we never stop working to make that difference in people’s lives.
N.B. to the weekly subscribers: I’m on annual leave next week, the next impact news will be August 27th.