Lisa's Story: The staff at Centrepoint were like parents to me

Background

Lisa travelled alone from Vietnam to the UK at just 12-years-old. She remembers having no  understanding of what was happening to her.  

“I didn’t know the people that took me,” she reflects. “I didn’t even know I would go to the UK. It was a frightening experience.”  

After arriving in the UK, Lisa was in foster care for six years until she reached 18 and social services referred her into supported housing with Centrepoint.

“I was hoping to stay with my foster carer a bit longer until I went to university, but due to the Covid outbreak, it was decided that I would move out. I remember it feeling like an isolating experience that I had no control over.”

However, in time, Lisa soon settled in and felt safe and supported by staff members.

Support from Centrepoint

“Centrepoint provided me with a comfortable room and a kitchen that I shared with two girls and there was plenty of space,” she recalls. “There was also a communal lounge area where you could play games or watch TV with the other young people. We got a lot of food donations from places like Pret which was really helpful when you didn’t have much money for food. We also had training on how to cook meals and understanding nutrition."

Lisa explains that having the support and advice of her key worker at Centrepoint was vital during that period.

“My key worker was amazing. She was so patient and helped me in so many ways. I was still in sixth form at the time and she would attend my parent meetings with me. She basically filled the role of parent and was there for me with whatever I needed.”

Lisa was also able to access other support at Centrepoint in areas like financial literacy.

“I had help with budgeting and managing my money to prepare myself for moving out. I had support from Moneywise to make sure I knew about what to expect when I moved out.”

Education and the Centrepoint Bursary

Whilst at Centrepoint, Lisa completed her A-levels, securing a place at her first choice of university to study Nutrition, Exercise and Health. She was supported by the CP Works team throughout the process.

“I had careers advice from the CP Works team who helped me apply for student finance and talked me through what to expect at university and how to prepare myself.”

The Centrepoint Bursary supported Lisa throughout the duration of her degree. She says that this extra financial support made a significant difference.

“It’s been a lifesaver", she explains. "I did well at university academically and I think without the funding from Centrepoint, I wouldn’t have done as well. The cost of living and being a student has been very challenging because student finance doesn’t give you enough money to cover your basic costs. I would have had to get a job which would have impacted the time I had for study and meant I didn't have to worry about where my next meal would come from."

“I spent the money on food, but it also paid for webinars and seminars with experts in the field which meant I could deepen my knowledge of the subject.”

Lisa is thrilled to announce that she recently graduated with a First Class Honours.

“I’m delighted. It’s been a challenging but rewarding journey,” she says. “I’m just a bit nervous about the next step. I have been studying all my life so going out into the real world of work is a bit scary and I know it is difficult to find a job. It’s difficult out there for a newly graduated student with little work experience. I have done a bit of volunteering and some work experience, but it’s still a bit scary. With my qualification I can be a nutritionist or a dietician’s assistant or a health and wellbeing coach – there are lots of things I can do with it."

Lisa is immensely grateful for the support she received from Centrepoint at a difficult period in her life. 

“We aren’t an easy group to work with,” Lisa reflects. “We have gone through so much at an early stage in our lives and therefore at times we can be challenging to deal with. However, staff are always there to provide support and are so proud of our achievements. For example, when I got my A-level grades (A.A*,A*) and my place at uni they were all so happy for me. They were jumping up and down. The service manager gave me a big hug. I feel like they were like my parents because they were so proud of me.”

Advice to others

Lisa’s advice to other young people going through difficult experiences in their lives is to “work hard and don’t doubt yourself. Even if you come from a disadvantaged background always seek help. There is help available. Ask questions and ask for help to lessen that disadvantage.”