Amelia's story: Becoming an independent mum
Amelia was just 16 when she became a mother and moved into our young parent’s service. She was supported with benefits, budgeting, education – vital tools in a cost-of-living crisis.
Amelia was just 16 when she became a mother and moved into our young parent’s service. She was supported with benefits, budgeting, education – vital tools in a cost-of-living crisis.
Gary became homeless in the early 90s after his family found out he was gay. After a period of rough sleeping he sought help from Centrepoint, where he built up the courage to come out and have pride in who he is.
Mari found Centrepoint in 1997 after being thrown out of home aged just 15. Not only did Centrepoint provide Mari with a roof over her head, they also provided a support network that she relied on for many years after. Mari now has a family of her own and works as a teacher.
Ben became homeless at 15 and for the remainder of his teenage years, he moved between hostels, B&Bs, shelters and rough sleeping. At 19, Ben was placed into a Centrepoint hostel and from there a Centrepoint self-contained flat where he met staff members that were to have a lasting impact on his life.
Aimee is a passionate young rapper with cerebral palsy. After she became homeless, Centrepoint supported her with somewhere to live and staff to advocate for her. Aimee has just been offered her own ground floor flat that is adapted to her needs.
The Centrepoint Bursary has made such a difference to Katy* throughout her carpentry course. It has provided funding for clothing, carpentry tools as well as travel to college and construction sites which has made it possible for Katy not only to access, but also sustain her training. She is hopes to go on to work in construction management.
Lewis received floating support from Centrepoint after he moved into his council flat at 18 after sofa-surfing for three years. Centrepoint supported him in managing and maintaining his tenancy and with financial support through the Centrepoint Bursary which he will receive throughout his three-year degree in Criminology. Lewis hope to join the police after he graduates.
Joe was supported by Centrepoint in Manchester on and off over a number of years, but it’s only recently that Joe has been ready to turn his life around. From sleeping in every doorway in Manchester City Centre, Joe is now in a stable place and looking forward to the future.g summary
Georges became homeless in 2016 and was referred to Centrepoint through social services. He originally shared his story back in 2018, but five years after leaving Centrepoint, we spoke with Georges again to share his experiences and learnings.
Benjamin became homeless aged 17 and was referred to Centrepoint through social services. He has been supported in a variety of areas including mental health and benefited from working with one of Centrepoint’s amazing volunteers, a chef called Ben Mariner. This is his story.