Polly suffered neglect throughout her childhood. She barely went to school, as no one was there to take her. From a young age, Polly had to learn how to do everything herself. She was often lonely and hungry. By the time she was 15, Polly left the family home and was homeless. She was placed…
Imran was just 16 when he made the difficult and dangerous journey from Iraq to the UK. He had no friends here, no family, and no place to call home. Imran could not speak English, and missed his old life, his school, and the people he loved. He was struggling to build a new life…
When Oliver was forced to leave his rented room, he ended up sleeping in a tent on the edge of a local forest. He felt frightened and alone, and wondered if he would even survive to see his next birthday. With hardly any money, Oliver often went hungry, surviving on one meal a day. He…
Chris was just a baby when he was put up for adoption. Life in the care system was not easy. With no permanent place to call home, he lived with a series of foster families. School was tough, and it was hard to make friends. He often felt lonely. Moving from house to house, having…
For much of his early life, Jason had no stable place to call home. He moved in and out of hostels with his mum and sister. Struggling with her own mental health, Jason’s mum neglected her children. Jason never felt safe. He never felt secure. By the time he was 19 he was homeless. Convinced…
Shortly after moving to the UK from Morocco, Samira got married. It should have been the start of a new life, but instead she was trapped with a physically and emotionally abusive husband. She was completely isolated. The abuse she endured left her with little confidence, and as a young woman with no connections in…
Rory grew up in an abusive home. When his mother finally escaped with the children, they all moved into a refuge. But aged 17, Rory was too old to stay with her. He had no contact with his violent father, and nowhere to turn. Rory had no choice but to start sofa-surfing. It was an…
Hi Roomsponsors, Thanks to your support, young people can access a safe and supportive environment where they can thrive. A place where they can reach their full potential. We’d like to provide an update on some of the young people you may have heard from recently, and share the progress they’ve been making, thanks to…
Dear Roomsponsor, My name is Leo and I’ve been staying at YMCA for about 18 months. I wanted to share my story and thank you for being a Roomsponsor, your support means so much to young people like me. I grew up in the care system. I’ve lived everywhere, in lots of different places and…
Dear Roomsponsor, My name is James and I’m 23 years old. Staying at YMCA has been a transformative experience for me and I wanted to share my story so you know how you are changing the lives of young people as a Roomsponsor. My earliest memories are from the orphanage in Russia I lived in…
