YMCA Norfolk

YMCA Norfolk

Helping young people towards a brighter future

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Case Studies

“Without the YMCA, I would not be the person I am or be where I am.” – James*’ Story

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After his dad passed away, James* struggled with his mental health and when facing homelessness, turned to YMCA Norfolk.

James’ dad passed away while he was still at school. Unsure how to cope, James regularly skipped school and got into trouble. He found himself on a declining path and fast accumulating rent debt, after attempting to move out of his family home.

Following his disrupted upbringing, James stayed with another local organisation for 2 years, before being referred to YMCA Norfolk. Moving into a safer and more comfortable environment at YMCA gave James the support to begin looking ahead to the future. At the end of his time in MyPlace, James decided that a referral to our Community Housing service would be the best route for him, as spoken about with his support worker.

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He said: “YMCA has changed my life in a good way. I have met friends through the YMCA and a lot of good people. They have given me a lot of support, even when I didn’t think I needed it.”

After his relocation, James, through the guidance of his support workers, began to be able to face his issues and deal with them. He began to feel ready to live independently, and started doing local voluntary work through the encouragement of his support system.

James hopes to begin paid employment and sort his previous debt, stating “all the workers that I have had with the YMCA have had an impact on my life, and have helped to shape the person I am now, without the YMCA I would not be the person I am or be where I am.”

*resident’s name has been changed to protect their identity

Local man housed after battling homelessness for 4 years.

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After struggling with street homelessness for 4 years, Daniel* has begun to get his life back on track with the support of YMCA Norfolk.

Following a very traumatic family upbringing, Daniel was placed in care as a child. Struggling to navigate the emotional aftermath of past trauma while being in the care system, Daniel sought refuge in hostels. Then, at the age of 18, Daniel began rough sleeping in Norwich. Battling mental health challenges, Daniel turned to addictions to cope and sought support from local homelessness charities.

After seeking support for rough sleeping, Daniel was helped by Housing First, a YMCA Norfolk service for those with complex needs. With tailored support, Daniel embarked on a journey towards securing a stable, long-term living situation while laying the groundwork for independent living.

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Despite Daniel’s resilience, developed from years of rough sleeping in cold winters and harsh conditions, Daniel was struggling with his mental health. Because of his support needs, Daniel struggled to maintain the right standard of living to cope in a hostel environment.

Housing First uses a harm-reduction approach to provide clients with housing support, but also wrap-around care that addresses their past experiences and supports their future wellbeing. The mission of Housing First is to focus on the individual, giving them the flexibility, intensive support, and time they need to rebuild their life. At YMCA, we believe that everyone has the right to affordable housing, but we also understand that not every accommodation works best for an individual. Housing First works long-term to find the best housing solution for that individual.

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Daniel was first found in these shoes walking the streets, and the YMCA team bought him some trainers as part of our initial support with Daniel.

With his support worker’s help, Daniel set up a bank account, went to the GP, and began seeking support for his mental health. Our team worked alongside other local organisations, Pathways, NCC, mental health trust, social services to ensure that Daniel remained supported by his local community.

After years of steadfast support from the Housing First team, Daniel has a place in a supported living unit where he can access 24-hour support and continue his steps to a more stable life. He’s looking forward to rebuilding his life and gaining professional support to work through his previous trauma.

*resident’s name has been changed to protect their identity

From street homeless to University aspirations, YMCA Norfolk’s Iman turns his life around.

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Iman

Iman joined YMCA Norfolk in 2020, looking for a fresh start among the Covid-19 pandemic. Since his time living with us and engaging in positive activities, he has not only built a new life for himself here in Norwich but is also one step closer to pursuing his dreams.  

Read his story below: 

Iman was born in Iraq and lived with his aunt and uncle, while his dad worked away in Sweden. Due to the ongoing war in Iraq, which was prevalent throughout his childhood, Iman’s dad decided to relocate him and his brother – which the start of their journey as refugees.   

Initially migrating to Turkey, Iman then relocated to Sweden, before moving to England for a better education at the age of 12. Despite an initial culture shock, Iman quickly learned English and made friends at school, particularly through his love of football.  

Unfortunately, as he got older, his relationship with his parents broke down, resulting in him having to leave the family home at his parent’s request. This resulted in Iman becoming homeless, sofa surfing with friends for a day or two a week, and on the streets for the other days.  

Following stays at other housing units, Iman got into the wrong crowd and ended up being involved in drug-related issues, which led to him being assaulted one day at a hostel. This was when he decided to turn his life around. 

Iman contacted the council for a fresh start and was referred to YMCA Norfolk’s housing team. Initially he moved into YMCA Central (John Drake’s House), and eventually transitioned to more independent living, being allocated a self-contained apartment at YMCA My Place (St Giles). 

Iman commented, “YMCA Norfolk have accommodated me in a time in my life when things were not good, I have been able to have a fresh start and get my life back on track. I have had to put in the hard work, engage with staff and I am now on a path to getting my own accommodation.” 

Since living at YMCA Norfolk, Iman has engaged in a range of activities and been supported by the team at YMCA Norwich Central and My Place. This has allowed him to develop friendships, grow in confidence, and, of course, support his passion for football. 

“I went kayaking, did archery and took part in various other sports when at Central, which was amazing. 

“Now, I thoroughly enjoy the football activity that I do every Monday with My Place, I really look forward to this, it has helped to strengthen my friendships and meet people I wouldn’t have otherwise spoken to,” he added.  

In the future, Iman hopes to go to university to study Business Management. His dream is to one day own his own clothing line selling streetwear for young people.  

If you’re a young person seeking help, please get in touch with our  housing team. 

If you’re inspired by this story and would like to support us in transforming young lives, please consider: 

“Thanks to YMCA Norfolk, I feel safe for the first time in a long time” – Hannah’s Story

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Before coming to YMCA Norfolk, Hannah was living with her mum in Wroxham. At 13-years-old she started a relationship with a much older male who had been grooming her. Hannah’s mum, who was aware of the situation, allowed the man to move in with them: encouraging the two of them to have sexual relations. 

Hannah’s older sister thankfully intervened and told Hannah to stay with her while they reported it to the police. The police told Hannah to return to her mums and said that they would visit her to file a report. However, after a few days of being back at her mums, Hannah had had enough and decided to run away to live with her dad. 

Due to her dad being on license for a criminal conviction, a social worker visited Hannah at her dad’s home – which was the first time she had met a social worker. They agreed that Hannah should not return to her mums, she therefore continued to live with her dad for 3 years until the relationship broke down (due to Hannah’s dad drinking). Sadly, Hannah was kicked out of her dad’s home and forced to find alternative accomodation.

At the time, Hannah could only afford to stay at a two-star hotel on Earlham Road, Norwich. After notifying a social worker of her situation, Hannah was referred to YMCA Norfolk for a housing assessment. The day she was assessed at YMCA Norfolk’s Central Youth Hostel (John Drake House), in March 2021, she moved into the property. 

Hannah said: “when I first moved into YMCA I felt really anxious, nervous and overwhelmed. Due to the trauma that I suffered throughout my childhood, I turned to drugs, drinking and partying.”

Hannah was unfortunately evicted from YMCA Norfolk Central due to the above, and sofa surfed between her mums, dads and aunts. After three months, Hannah was eligible to reapply for accommodation at YMCA Norfolk, who gave her a second chance.

“I had the chance to start again and I worked hard to prove myself and show staff that I was serious and wanted the help and support. I made the most of the second chance and demonstrated that I was serious – putting in the hard work to prove that I was ready to move onto My Place [40 self-contained flatlets maintained by YMCA Norfolk].”

Hannah spent the next few months engaging in positive activities such as gardening and cooking, and also learnt new skills through taking part in ‘Life Ready’ workshops (a training and education project ran by YMCA Norfolk).

“The support that Central gave me and the patience they showed me made me realise that there was more to life than what I had been through. When I moved into My Place, I was really excited and happy. I felt that I had grown up, and despite initial nerves, I have really flourished since living here,” Hannah added.

Hannah said her housing engagement worker made her ‘feel at ease’ and ‘earnt her respect.’

“With the help of my engagement worker and my dad, I have found the courage to contact the police to chase up the grooming investigation – which had come to a stand-still.

“There have been times when it has all been too much for me: I have broken down and thought I could not get through it at all. But I learnt to confide in the staff at YMCA, who would lighten my mood through the challenging times. I now speak to my engagement worker daily about the case – to let out my frustrations instead of letting it all build up,” Hannah said.

Hannah hopes that the police investigation will soon reach a conclusion with the right outcome so that ‘the male and her mum can’t hurt anyone else.’ 

“With everything that has gone on in my life, I have learnt that stability is possible. Thanks to YMCA Norfolk, this is the first time in a long time that I have felt safe. They have made it possible for me to change my life around – I now have a different outlook, with better self-esteem and self-worth. I know that people care about me, and I can speak to YMCA staff without judgement.”

Hannah hopes to one day have a home of her own and is currently working on her mental health with plans to return to work.

YMCA Norfolk houses more than 240 young people like Hannah every year, not only offering a safe place to live but also a caring support worker who is on-hand to offer 1-to-1 support and advice.

If you’re a young person seeking help, please get in touch with our housing team.

If you’re inspired by Hannah’s story and would like to support us in transforming young lives, please consider:

“I will never forget YMCA Norfolk – thank you for accepting me” – Danny’s Story

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After almost three years with YMCA Norfolk, Danny is soon set to leave our My Place accommodation to begin living independently.

Danny’s time with YMCA Norfolk started with a period of living at our Central accommodation in 2019, and since then he has taken part in a range of youth-led projects such as Kick the Dust and Life Ready, which seek to teach young people vital living skills as well as provide them with opportunities to enrol in education and training.

As Danny prepares for his positive move on, he wanted to share some words of praise for the ‘unforgettable’ staff who have supported him on his journey:

“I will be moving soon. I have never been a very confident person; I have always been uncertain of my own abilities to live independently. Before I moved here (YMCA Norfolk accommodation) I was quite a mess and lacked many critical skills that a person should have.”

Danny said he previously struggled with cleanliness, looking after his own living quarters, and the ability to navigate his finances such as paying the bills and maintaining important documents for the purpose of government support.

Since his time with YMCA Norfolk, he feels each staff member that’s supported him has individually played an important part in helping him overcome these obstacles:

“Chelsea taught me how to understand many social circumstances that I previously found confusing.

“Franky has taught me how to properly clean and maintain a home, and she has given me insight into emotional questions that I have valued.

“Justin has been a good mentor and has taught me how to be secure in living alone.

“Stephen has been incredibly adept at dealing with my council issues, and even managed to get me photographic ID which we didn’t think was possible.

“Karen is also a very kind and caring individual, she’s incredibly emotionally perceptive and I think she’s someone that everyone feels comfortable talking to.”

Danny added that he thinks it’s ‘important to make sure people understand how special they are in their own ways.’

“It can be hard to continue living, especially nowadays, and life is challenging; but there are many residents here whose lives have been permanently altered for the better by the people working here: so I would like them to know how impactful they have been. 

“It has been a privilege to have been tutored by the staff at YMCA Norfolk, and I will never forget them or their experiences. We often overlook these things in the present, and don’t value them until later in life,” he said.

We’re extremely proud to say that Danny’s life and every day habits have completely transformed: he now manages his money very well, keeps on top of his health and hygiene, cooks for himself every day, has gained his tenancy qualifications, presents his accommodation immaculately and is motivated to continue with his personal studies.

“I am confident I will be okay on my own, and that I will accomplish everything I have set out to do. Thank you for the opportunities you gave me by accepting me here. You are good people.”

Sharon Greener, My Place Housing Manager, commented on Danny’s journey:

“Danny does not realise what his kind words means to us. He has come so far on his journey and we’re confident that he is equipped and ready to live independently so that he can follow his dreams.

“He will continue to be supported by his key worker, and the My Place staff are always here for him whenever he needs us. We wish him all the luck in the world.”

If you’re a young person seeking help, please get in touch with our housing team.

If you’re inspired by Emma’s story and would like to support us in transforming young lives, please consider:

Andrew’s Story: “The staff at YMCA Norfolk have not only supported me, but also improved every single aspect of my life.”

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Before moving into YMCA Norfolk’s accommodation, Andrew was a participant of On Track – a countywide project that aims to clear barriers to work for young people in Norfolk through helping them get into education, training or employment. This is how Andrew found out about YMCA Norfolk, who are a partner in the project.

At the time, Andrew was living with family, however there were threats of violence and he said he often felt unsafe. This escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic, as an effect of ongoing lockdowns.

He moved into accommodation with YMCA Norfolk in Autumn 2020 to escape his dangerous living situation. Despite not previously living in supported housing, he said he quickly felt supported by staff and gained a sense of independence.

YMCA staff supported him with life skills such as cooking and gaining confidence in trying new things – something he previously struggled with.

“The staff at YMCA Norfolk have not only supported me, but also improved every single aspect of my life.

“I feel I have not only been protected from a dangerous living situation, but also gained more confidence and independence, as well as accessing much-needed therapy to face my past trauma.

“I’m extremely proud of myself for getting the help I need,” Andrew said.

Andrews hopes for the future include having his own flat and decorating it, as well as working towards his English GCSE.

“One day I would like to become a children’s author,” he added.

Andrew is currently working with YMCA Norfolk’s ‘Life Ready’ project: studying two separate ASDAN courses in History and Sex and Relationships. He is also engaging in positive activities, provided by YMCA Norfolk’s housing and youth engagement workers.

If you’re a young person seeking help, please get in touch with our housing team.

If you’re inspired by Andrew’s story and would like to support us in transforming young lives, please consider: ·

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