Adam
“I had a fall-out with my family and left home when I was 16.
I’m 20, I’ve been in SASH for about 2 years. When I was younger I was a bit of a troublemaker, I was very short-tempered. I was permanently excluded from school in Year 9. I had a fall-out with my family and left home when I was 16.
I didn’t see my family for two years.
I went to stay with a mate. I didn’t see my family for two years. When everything happened, my emotions just died back and it didn’t bother me. At my mate’s, I was running pretty wild. I stayed there until I was 18 and then I couldn’t stay there anymore so I went to the council for help.
I was offered a couple of options by the council and one of them was SASH. I chose SASH as it seemed like a good support route. I thought if I went into a shared house with other young people it might not end well.
I wasn’t too sure what to expect in Supported Lodgings, but I was looking forward to it. The first day they showed me around, and the two cats came and sat on my lap. I’m an animal person, so it was nice. I had my own room, nice animals around, it was good.
I’m happier since I’ve been in SASH. I’ve had a lot of support.
When I started at SASH I went to the Prince’s Trust. I did courses on team skills, employability skills and I did a CV workshop. I like nature and I did a work placement at Cober Hill as a gardener. I stayed on as a volunteer after that because I liked it so much. Now I’m back at college, doing a catering course.
I’m happier since I’ve been in SASH. I’ve had a lot of support. They helped me work on my anger issues and my anxiety. I still get anxious, but it’s easier to control it. Now I just try to look at the positives, not the negatives. I feel like I’ve grown up a bit. Everyone nowadays knows me as ‘that big friendly guy’.
If I hadn’t gone into SASH, I’d probably be causing some trouble somewhere to be honest.
Being in SASH has been good guidance. It keeps you on the right path, if you stray a bit, they guide you back. If I hadn’t gone into SASH, I’d probably be causing some trouble somewhere to be honest. I don’t think I’d be happy, I feel I wouldn’t be me. I see my family now. If I’d chosen the other path I was offered when I went to the council, I wouldn’t have gone down the good route.”
