Oakley
“I’m 17. My mum left when I was two. Me and my dad never got on. We were arguing all the time and I kept running away. I never wanted to be in the house, I hated it. I felt happier outside, staying in tents, away from my dad. When I was 14 I …
Julia
“I left home at 16. I was living with my dad, but I felt like where I was I couldn’t be myself. I just wanted to go out and work and get on with life. I thought if I was on my own I’d have more independence. I rented a house with a friend but …
James
James spent two weeks in Nightstop before going into Supported Lodgings. He explains how he became homeless and how he got the help he needed. “I’m 19. I’m the second oldest of six in my family. I’m a carer for my eight year old brother, who has autism. He’s the youngest and we were always …
Hannah
Hannah left home at 14 after problems with her family. She lived with her grandparents for just under a year, and started sofa-surfing with friends when she couldn’t stay with them any longer. At 18 she moved in with her boyfriend and lived with him for a while, until they broke up. Hannah was working …
Ashley
“This is my eleventh night in Nightstop. I’ve been around quite a few different places, mostly in York but Harrogate as well. I lost my job before Christmas, then I split up with my girlfriend, it’s just been going downhill since then, but it can only go up now can’t it? I was a window …
Abi
When she was growing up, Abi’s parents had financial difficulties and the family moved around a lot, staying in different apartments and holiday homes. By the time she was 18, Abi did not have her own room in the family home. She was sleeping on the sofa in the living room, had no privacy and …
Zoe
When I was 15 I got taken from my Mum, and put in foster care. It was a shock. I remember I got woken up in the morning and I had to take my brother to my grandma’s. Then the next thing I knew we were in foster care. I’d never been away from my …
Andrew
I’m 17. I’ve been in SASH since the start of September last year. My mum died when I was four years old. I was living on my own in my dad’s house from the age of 14 because my dad had a girlfriend in Hartlepool. I couldn’t live with them. His girlfriend has two disabled …
Sue
I started hosting about four years ago. I’ve had about 13 girls come to stay I think. I first heard about SASH via a friend in Richmond. We were talking about teenagers and their problems and he said SASH needed volunteers. When I heard about it I thought this was something I could do. I’m …
Ollie
I’ve just turned 18. I’ve been in SASH since February 2017. There was a breakdown in the relationship with my Mum. The problems go back a long way. She went through a lot of stuff when she was younger, then I lost my Dad when I was 13 and it affected her, even though they …
