Jamie. S Story (Health Inequalities - North Halifax)

so Hi, Jamie. Um, thank you for taking the time out to share your story. Um, so I wanted to ask, how has your health and well being been impacted? Um, due to covid over the past year, Really? It would be really interesting to hear what your experience has been. Yeah

Um, well, for me as an individual, um, when I moved from, um, temporary accommodation in Halifax, um, to my, um, up into the north Halifax I was able I wasn't aware of certain people or or certain groups that I was a bit scared that I would be targeted or whereabouts I would be going. And I was like, I was I was in a bit of a difficult position, Um, in terms of physical or mental, um, place, um, in terms of where I wanted to see myself getting a job, settling down and try and click on with with my life. But, um, because obviously Halifax, it was making me more and more unsettled

And then when I was able to go back to the council and say, Come on, guys, you know I'm suffering here. Um, I need somewhere I need to fix a boat, Um, for the foreseeable future, then I can actually call home and I can actually be more independent. And they managed to find my house in North Halifax, and I've remained there for every year

And I've had a few issues from people like such as the neighbours and stuff. And but then, obviously that's been sorted, and I'm in a better place and health wise, I would say, Yeah, I'm in a better in a better place because I was taking on board everybody's advice, guidance, knowing where I want to be and just give me a better horizon on seeing different things in different prospects instead of just jumping straight to the conclusions. And, yeah, I've just really, really enjoyed, uh, working, um, with your services, and it's helped me to sort of be able to have that mentality of, Well, you've helped me

So then, when a family member needs my help, such as my parents or friends or whatever, I am more than happy to take on board that advice that I've been given or the, um, the structure on how I conduct the conversations that I have with with yourselves, that helps me to feel confident enough to put that in perspective to my friends and my family. So, yeah, it's been really, really helpful. And I'm just pleased that I'm in a better place now than I was a year ago

I'm on mute. Um, I know in this in the space of almost like, yeah, you have experienced moving house and also settle it in. But then an element of your mental health has been there also as also, um, but from from from what you say now, you seem to be in more of a stable place, right? Yeah, 100%

Um, I I I think that first of all, I I need to credit the people I have that I work with, like yourselves, that have given me a platform to sort of listen to me, help me and really understand sort of day to day life and understand different struggles that I've enjoyed during different periods of the CO the covid outbreak. Yet it's been difficult for myself. Um, but I've not given in

I've been strong. I've been dealing with, um other certain things without without that picture of covid covid covid. Um but I've obviously adapted well, and it's been difficult for myself

But I'm in a better place, and I enjoy, um, my regular chats with your services every Friday. And yeah, it just helps me to feel a lot calmer, a bit more open to tell express how I feel. I know that if I'm feeling like I need to tell someone how I feel, I know that their service is there to provide with someone to listen, to give me great points, great guidance, Even if it's not something to do with what I feel I struggle with, it could be on anything, and and that's something that I I respect

And I've every time I have conversations with family, Um, about this service that I've been getting, I've not had one bad word to say about yourselves. So it's all been, yes, they've been there supporting me. They've given me positive mindset

They've given me different ways to cope and different ways to adapt to different changes. And I think that if it wasn't for yourselves and my previous worker that I worked with, I wouldn't be where I am now. Really? Yeah, fantastic is that it's It's really positive hearing how you are in in in a much more stable place

Now, I guess one thing I wanted to ask, um, was, um in terms of your experience with moving house, would you be happy to share, um, a little bit more on that and any sort of, um, challenges you were facing? Um, David. Really? Yeah, yeah. Um, that is that is a fantastic question

And I'm going to be open and honest and discuss that, um, so I have, um, experience, um, different, uh, changes in my relationships. Um, I went I was dating a an individual which was more money driven and didn't have my best interests at heart run. Racked me up a load of debt

Um, basically not treating me with respect, basically treating me as, like, some piece of dirt on the floor. Um, and I chose that over my family, and then my family relationship broke down. And then that's then I moved out, and then I basically didn't work out with, um the the people that I was staying with, um when I moved out of my house and then I moved

I came out of that with my family's help, and then I went and moved into, um, Halifax. Um, I had to do a couple of assessments to determine what band I'll be getting. And I had to give them a lot of information about myself and where I've been and how it came to this bit

It was very, very difficult because I had to basically give them everything in terms of the little detail to the big detail. And yeah, um, it was hard. Then they managed to find me a, uh, a place at the Moors Side Lodge

Um, I was there for a good period of time. And then I moved up to the, um, sort of, um, near king cross area. I'm not sure

Whereabouts in King Cross, but it was in that sort of general area of Halifax. Um and yeah, um, it was a very, very slow process. At the start, I felt like I wasn't gonna be able to find my fixed abode

I was getting wrong by together housing saying, Oh, yes, we found you a property in North Halifax, South Halifax, East Halifax, west Halifax, and we were just going around in circles. And then I just bluntly said to them Please don't ring me or have any contact with me until you've actually got a fixed abode to me and you can say right, he can live there for foreseeable without having to be worrying about getting evicted or other things. So they went away

I didn't hear anything until the 14th of January, where I went to an for an assessment for some other things. And then I got a phone call from a housing support worker and said, Right, we've got you a flat, a flat in North Halifax. We would like you to view it and sign the tenancy on the day

And yes, it was difficult because I didn't have my support worker. I only had my mom. Yes, she's my support network, but I didn't have an extra, um, view from another person that works with the council

And so she was on annual leave, and then literally, it was like click of the finger and everything just sort of moved very quickly. I was in Bradford to do my assessment and then go back to where I was living, um, in the King cross area, and then I had to literally move up to north Halifax the same day. So it was very difficult

It was very stressful. Um uh, because I had no gran. My grants never came through until the next day

It was It was a big mess. Um, you know, sorting out the discretionary housing benefit payment before I got my universal credit to, you know, top it up. It was all a big mess

And, uh, but now it's all sorted, and it's I'm in a better place now because everything's sorted out and know where I'm going. And so any sort of financial advice or any finances that they think, Oh, he's a bit low on that. They'll just, um, tell me or email me or write it in a letter, and then I can correspond it with my family

So then they can have another view on it as well? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Well, thank you for sharing your your experience in moving house

Um, from what you've said, it it it sounds as if it was AAA is stretched out. Um, process, But I am pleased you are now in the position you are in, which is good. Um, I guess one final question for you Jeremy is

If you were to change anything around what you've experienced in the last year, what would you have wanted to have been improved or an experience, maybe? Of of, um, maybe a different experience with any services and so forth? It would just be, um, interesting to hear. Well, person on a personal level, I wouldn't change your service because I think your service is absolutely brilliant. Um, but, I would say, is the communication from other services such as, like together housing? Um, I was deeply frustrated with the constant, Um um, sort of

They were saying, Oh, yes. We've got your, um What's the word? Hope they've given me. They've given me a lot of the false hope in a way they've been giving me

Um oh, yes, we've got your property. Oh, no. Somebody's taken back the tenancy

They're not actually moving out. So it was just false hope, Really? And I think that they they needed to address because of my experiences is in life. I felt like that could have been a bit more taken on board

Um that it they could have put it in a way, saying, Oh, yes, we've got your flat, but we're not sure on. Um, if they're gonna be moving out instead of Yes, we've got your flat. Um, they're moving out, and then they give me a date, and then they actually revoke it and giving it to and then the guy takes it back on

Yeah, I understand that that in a way you can't help or prevent, but it I was just upset that they gave me false hope. And I think that they need to really improve how they deal with their clients. Um, instead of saying give them everybody hope and saying yes, there's gonna be a light at the end of the tunnel with a new flat

There needs to be very careful because that person could be forgetting to bid on other properties. And they've got their heart set on one property, which I had had over that period of time. Whilst focusing on my mental health

I had a flat. It was still in North Halifax. I had my heart set on, um, a flat, which was not as far up as North Halifax towards, um, the grammar school and the Trinity Academy

It wasn't that way of the area. But unfortunately, uh, they they didn't have that flat available, so that was revoked. And then I was able Then I was put in that area in North Halifax, which is fine

I've got no issues. Um, and, um, yeah, um, that's the only thing I would change. Really? Um oh, and another thing I want a change is more opportunity for, um, workshops

So, for example, like volunteering or, um, able to get some sort of experience. And then when I do have the opportunity to go back into a working environment, I could go to the employer and go, Well, I have this, um amazing CV. I've had a bit of a wobble because of my mental health, but these were these people I worked with, rallied around, helped me, but put me in some sort of placement as well at the same time

So then I can actually go. Oh, I'm actually got a bit of experience in that field, so that's something I would change. But other than that, it's perfect, Right? Fantastic

Well, thank you very much, Jamie. For M for sharing your story with me. I will now be pressing Stop on the video

Cheers. Thank you.