A young person reflecting on their experience with receiving support from Pathfinder, a project delivered by Depaul as part of the Greater Manchester Better Outcomes Partnership.

OK, so what has been your experience of Pathfinder, and how does it relate to your life slash world? Well, Pathfinder found me when I was in a in a very bad place, Should I say and, um the the amount of support that they give me a at the start to what I was receiving from everyone organisation. It's It is it's made a real impact in my life. The fact of if if the journey I was on before I met and the the people I surrounded myself with and the person I thought I was was not real. It it was it was like a a picture, like like like a mask to put on

And it it it took me reaching rock bottom, getting the help to make me realise a lot of stuff that makes sense. Um, it's it's it's taken me out of homeless. Well, I say homelessness that they help him

I'm on the path to get myself in my own accommodation. Now, I come from staying in a very, um, unhealthy place that was quite dangerous to somewhere where I've got my own bedroom at the minute, you know, like so, uh, I feel like it's changed my life for the better. Do you know what I mean? And it's We need to talk about, um, Pathfinder finding you and you getting involved in Pathfinder

How How was that experience like So I I was the man City Council was trying an emphasis on trying to help her because there was more use than a chocolate tea pot. You know what I mean? Like so? And they put me in touch with Pathfinder. And since that first phone call it, it's like they did more for me within a week than the council did within months

You know, and it's It's a brilliant service, To be honest, they need They need more stuff like this out there because the positive impact that has on the positive impact I've seen that have on me and the people around me, you know? Yeah, and how does it compare to support that you've received after the council? It's it's It's a lot more person based on not box ticking. So they care about. They care about you as a person, as an individual, not as a number or as another mean to get funding you know

And you, Can you notice the what's what's the best word? Not care, but, um, the fall and and earth. I'm trying to think the ability that that they hold and the ability they want to help you, it's not. It's not for their own game

It's for yours, you know, and that it speaks volumes in this type of, um, world we live in. Especially that you have people out there who do care for you and you're not alone. Need more of it, to be honest, is there, like any key key things that you remember initially what they helped you out with? Well, before I met, As as I've just got in contact with, I found out they got in contact with me

I was going through crisis situations, so I was like, um, I was a very, very angry person. And, uh, I was in A and A and finder or someone from someone from Pathfinder people should I say come and sat with me and made sure I was OK because I don't have family like that, and I don't really have anyone. So having someone sat there and I thought I had no but it it makes you look at life in a different light, you know, and it's It's not It's not all bad, you know

And it taught me how to control my anger. Now I'm I'm a lot better. I'm a lot more chilled out

I'm more relaxed. Don't take things too personally. Now I'm not

It's not an attack before and I was in a bad place. I I know I had to be strong. Now I I have the to let my guard down and be be a person and not not someone who someone is not proud of, you know? And since that moment where you sat in A&E and they came to speak to you like what? What other things Can you look back and see that they've helped you with my life? To be honest, if you say if it if it wasn't for the the certain people who find that I don't think I'll be excited today like that's I I can openly say that like they they've stepped in at that that time

And yeah, this changed my life to most turn turn it upside down. Like literally I was in a bad place. And now I can stand on my own two ft and hold my head up there and say I am a good person

You know what I mean? What what does the support look like that they gave you 1 to 1? You know, like phone calls or you get a phone call every day. I mean, just say, check up, be all right, and the amount of morale and the amount of, um, positivity that that puts in you knowing that you have people out there still thinking about your have been being invited to come in, you know, and sit down and help him with paperwork helping apply for stuff. If and I, I wouldn't have a clue because the system as it is now, they don't want you to get it personally, in my view that the paperwork they have the the amount of hoops you have to jump through just to get certain things

It's There's people out there with severely dyslexic who are homeless and just trying to give them a piece of paper to fill it in. It's not going to happen. Do you know what I mean? I'm dyslexic myself, so I struggle with writing

So when I do for like, um, people in or the filled forms out, you know, the the the writing pen, it's not not it's not on the computer, either. Anyone can. They're doing a pen on paper and the amount of amount of love and care that person that puts in for you to

You know, that's how I see it, to take their time to fill paperwork out for somebody else. You know, it takes a special type of person and yeah, it's it's it's It's hard to see where my life would be if this didn't involve, you know, if if they didn't interfere when they did and it it's it's hard to think that there's people out here worse in my worse position than me who are not having this help because they don't know how to get it or they're not pushed in that direction. Everyone just forgets about him, and they just left to their own demise

You know they need this path. Founder and the people who work with them need the rec recognition, and they need to be put out there as the place that will help, and it's not just for the numbers, and it's not just for the the people at the top to get, you know, the bonuses when they're getting more people to come through, because that that's all it is. Now that's all it is

The the Council is, the more people that get you know, it's is it's hard. It's hard to think now because I can sit back and I can look at other people and think of how much pain they must be going through it. It's a challenge to see it, you know, because it's not one person can change it

It takes, you know, a sitter, maybe to change it and stand up for what we believe in and are doing it with the whole, you know, standing up against homelessness. It's No one chooses to be honest. Do you know what I mean? No one wakes up like I know I'm gonna pack the bag and stay on the bench outside

It's but when people get to that point, there's there's no one there and you have people like people organisations like Pathfinder who will do everything in their power. I'm gonna say everything like they will move mountains. But you have to help yourself as well, you know, and and that's that's what I found because I start

I wasn't I was just sat there thinking, Oh, my life's bad. But once I started putting my own house and get the amount of team work you get because you're working with each other and they can see that you want to do it and it's Yeah, look at me now. A few months ago, I was coming in, and now I mean it

It can change it. It does get better. You just got to believe

And when you were saying like lots of 1 to 1 support Is there any, like, group sessions or anything like that? Not that I'm aware it could be. Not that I'm aware of, because I I'm like I said, I'm I'm very not isolated. I just don't do people that much, and then I just I I I I've always been invited to the 1 to 1

I've always like I said, I I I've never I'll never say no to a group session, you know, And and to be honest, it would be good to meet like minded people who are in your position to understand that you're not alone. You know, it's like someone sat there with a nice suit on saying it's gonna be all right and you understand. But seeing someone else sat in bag, you know what I mean? You have not had a wash, and you, like, can relate to him

Do you know what I mean? And it it's it's it's good for It's good for people exercises. It shows you that you are human. You know, people, people fail, happens

And is there anything else any other experiences that you can think of that you'd like to mention? And it's like when So the reason I was homeless I was in the military and my mom died when I was 16. Um, my dad's a home in New York. So when I come out of the military, my dad lost the family home

So from 18 I've been office. I I'm 27 seven days, eight days on that happy birthday. Thank you

Um, but it it's like so so for surfing for So what? 10 years now? Maybe just just in 10 years. It's it. It it It took its toll

And and like I said, I only a year ago, I I was I was staying in a bad place. I I was I was doing stupid stuff and and it's like I I I I I wasn't using that as an excuse, but it it was I didn't have any support. Do you know what I mean? Since I've come out, I've I've I've called I've you know what I mean? I'm I'm a veteran

I've not I didn't see any military combat, but it's still the same. It is. I still put my time

I give my time for this country and I've come to the council helping like I need help, you know what I mean? I've got nowhere to go, and it's like there's nothing there for you, you know? And when As soon as I mentioned that I was an ex military for and the amount of extra support and and and the extra, um, blanket should we call it of, um, friendship, you know, knowing that thank you for what you're doing and and and having that understanding, it's it's made me the person I am today. Do you know what I mean? and and I can openly say, if it wasn't for them. Um, yeah, it'll be

It'll be a lot worse place now than it was then is it's hard because people people judge about both. I don't know when people see me, I'm I'm 26 and they don't think that I'm I'm struggling because I put a smile on my face. They don't think I'm I'm hurting it all, you know

And it's when you start speaking to people, especially people like and and they start breaking down the barriers and start scratching that surface like you put a smile on. But deep down, you you do need this help, you know. And it is

It's just amazing to be honest now, knowing that there's people out there and no, no matter what journey you've been through, no matter what you've done, no matter if you've been a bad person, it don't make you a bad person. Now you can still change. Do you know what I mean? And it it's down to you to change

Brilliant. Thank you very much.

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