CHARITY’S MISSION TO END SCOURGE OF YOUTH HOMELESSNESS
Homeless charity Llamau is raising money to create the first out-of-hours helpline for young homeless people in Wales. Ruth Mosalski looks at one person’s experience of homelessness and how it shows the need for more support
COREY was 15 when he became homeless. His dad had thrown him out because he’d been in contact with his mum.
He lived on the streets for two months, mostly on a roof in Bridgend town centre.
For three weeks, he spent the nights on his own, but then a friend who was worried about him said he wanted to look after him so stayed with him.
He took him back to his house for a shower, and when his friend’s mum made him a meal he would give it to Corey.
“I didn’t have any money. I relied on a homeless breakfast run. They used to give me a hardboiled egg, a bacon sandwich and a cup of tea.”
But he didn’t know where to turn or who could help him.
He is backing charity Llamau’s call to set up a helpline for young people LLAMAU is a charity which is working to end youth homelessness.
They want to set up a free helpline which young people can ring to get help if they find themselves homeless.
Every year in Wales, 7,000 people aged between 16 and 24 ask for help with homelessness.
There is currently no helpline support available over the night and on weekends.
The charity wants to launch the first out-of-hours helpline in Wales to provide advice and support to young people through the night and on weekends – times when there isn’t any other help available and they are likely to be most in need of help.
They say that last year, 76% of the young people they helped said that who find themselves homeless.
The charity says that last year, 76% of the young people they helped said that when they first became homeless, they didn’t know where to turn for help.
And Corey was one of those. He found himself with nowhere to live and no idea who to ask for help.
“In the day it felt as if I wasn’t homeless and I acted as if I wasn’t.
“Then the night would come and it would be terrifying.
“It was dark and cold and I never knew who was going to be around.
“We felt a little more safe when we got back to our sleeping place on the roof.
“We slept on that same roof for a month.
“Sometimes we would sleep in when they first became homeless, they didn’t know where to turn for help.
The helpline will be run by trained Llamau staff and volunteers Monday to Friday, 5pm-9am and 24 hours over the weekend.
They will provide at-risk young people with information on where to access safe temporary accommodation and offer advice on how to access support.
Chief executive Frances Beecher said: “The time immediately after a young person becomes homeless is critical. Without access to support and advice, many have no choice but to make an impulsive and potentially dangerous decision about where to sleep that night. shop doorways to be warmer and more sheltered depending on who was around”.
It was in August that he met his local PCSO, Lisa and it was she who gave him advice.
She told Corey about hostels and where the council office was so he could get help. “I did this the following morning”. He was put in a temporary hostel for one night.
Then, he was put in touch with Llamau and he was given a space at Ty Cornel.
“I was quite scared when I first got to Ty Cornel, but staff made me feel really welcome”.
They helped him to claim benefits and to get to college.
Now, he’s studying music and is in
“The more time that passes, as the generosity of friends and family runs out, the more dangerous these decisions are likely to become. his second year. The charity has helped him get a grant for a new guitar.
“I’ve never lived on my own, so I was shown things like how to use the washing machine and how to cook meals.
“Christmas was kind of tough, as the other people from the Ty Cornel went home to stay with family. I was the only one left.
“But Christmas morning I was given a big sack of presents to open, while the support worker made me a full cooked breakfast, which was banging.
“He told me to watch TV and to chill out, stuff my face with chocolates while he made the Christmas dinner.
“Things are looking up”.
“If young people knew that they could call one number for free and get help to find somewhere secure to stay that night, imagine how much safer they’d feel. Imagine how much safer they’d be.”
A donation of just £10.32 is enough to run the helpline for one hour but it will cost £60,000 to run the helpline for a year.
Funds for the helpline are being raised via a crowdfunding appeal.
Llamau has a range of rewards available in exchange for donations of varying values. Among the rewards is a hand-signed thank you letter from Michael Sheen, available for a donation of £165, and an exclusive set visit with Michael Sheen for a donation of £1,155.