Someone is living in our office. Not literally of course, but circumstances have led this person to have nowhere else to go.
For the past 2 weeks, they come to the door just after 9 and ring the bell. We all know them now, so they’re buzzed in, offered a cup of tea and they settle down to catch up on some sleep.
By 10am, when the drop-in service opens, we wake them up, they drink their cold tea and we see if they want some porridge for breakfast. They used to have the phone we gave them, logged into our WIFI, and they would watch YouTube to pass the time, but they’ve lost the phone now, so they get lost in their own thoughts.
Every now and then there’s a gentle tap on the window, “Do you have any boxers and socks?”, “Could I have some water?”, “Do you have any more sweet and sour pot noodles?” and of course, we give what we have. They are sweet and gentle, with an almost child-like outlook on the world.
Sometimes the question is “Do you have any houses?”.
The picture is slowly coming together. The complexity of their needs means that there isn’t a straight path, and by working with the NHS, various other services and the council we are ensuring their needs are assessed. But every meeting and every decision takes time, leaving them in limbo.
A limbo in which we are their safe place, and I don’t just mean somewhere indoors, we are their safe people. We are familiar, we are on their side and we are kind. Even in the moments when frustration boils over and we need to set a gentle boundary, we are kind.
We are dedicated to helping them out of the experience of homelessness and we will continue to advocate for them until we find the right, long-term accommodation where the support they need is always available.
We find ourselves as the safety net for them and many others who get lost in the myriad of systems required to support their needs, and as a person-first organisation we take the time to listen and understand, untangle the mess and put the building blocks together one by one.
This is powerful, valuable and life-changing work that you can support. Take part in the Big Sleep Out or the 24 Hour Challenge this autumn and change someone’s life.
