Hi Roomsponsor,
My name is Gemma and I’m 19 years old. I wanted to write and let you know how much your support means to someone like me who has recently moved into a YMCA.
Growing up I remember being very close with my brothers but my relationship with my parents has always been difficult. I was just eight when my parents got divorced and although I was too young to understand it at the time my dad had issues with drinking and using heroin. For a long time I was not in contact with him other than supervised visits.
After my dad left, unfortunately, my mum started to have her own problems with alcohol. When I was younger I had only noticed her drinking, but when I was about 13 I started learning about how damaging drugs are in school and realised my mum showed all the signs of having a drug problem too. I didn’t know what to do at the time.
It got to the point where she would have friends over and use drugs in the house and I really despised it. I felt powerless to stop her at such a young age, and it scares me to think about the ways my younger brother and I were being put at risk back then. After a number of years of this our relationship started to completely break down. It was the cause of all our arguments and it was so frustrating that no matter what I said she would take no notice.
When I was 15 I ran away from home because I couldn’t take it anymore. It was something I had been thinking about for a while but I was scared of not having anywhere to go. I ended up sofa surfing for over a year. I stayed with family members and friends, basically anywhere I didn’t have to be under the same roof with my mum. This time was the hardest of my life and I was terrified that eventually I would have to sleep out on the streets. It upset me so much that this was my only alternative to being around adults using drugs back home.
During this time my mental health really took a turn for the worse and I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. My relationship with my mum was getting more strained and I was also struggling at school where I was being bullied. I was having such a hard time balancing everything that was going on, I remember just feeling so sad and hopeless.
I’m glad to tell you things started to change for me when I first heard about YMCA. I was contacted about a possible room straight away and was able to move in within a couple of days. I can’t tell you how relieved I felt after I had been sleeping on sofas for more than a year.
Although I was nervous at first, when I met my key worker Clare she was so warm and welcoming she helped me feel at ease. She showed me around and made sure I had everything I needed and told me she would always be there if I needed her. I remember feeling so thankful to finally have my own space away from the life I had been living.
I have been living at YMCA for about 3 months now and I’m really enjoying it. I am learning how to be independent and have made a lot of new friends. It has really helped that I’ve been able to meet people my age who I can share my experiences with and feel like I am a part of a positive community. Clare has been so supportive and helps me to deal with things as they come up with my family back home. I know that I can always trust her.
As well as giving me a place to stay, I am able to access the Young Adult Carer Service at YMCA which meets at a local coffee shop each week. It is a chance to speak with other young people who have gone through similar things to me and I can also access a counselling service. It makes me feel much less anxious knowing that I can speak to someone whenever I need to.
I also meet with Clare regularly where we discuss issues like how to budget my money now I live on my own or work on my CV. This has made a huge impact on my confidence and I feel like I am making steps in the right direction to being completely independent. The next step will be to get my own place when I’m ready.
I want to say a huge thank you for continuing to support YMCA because you made all of this possible. Without your generosity I would still be sofa surfing and wouldn’t have learnt ways to manage my mental health problems. Your kindness has truly changed my life and I am feeling so much more optimistic about my future.
Kind regards,
Gemma
Gemma, I am so delighted for you, that you are now happier and able to cope with life.
Your early experiences are truly frightening and no young person should have to go through that.
I sincerely hope, that you continue to grown in confidence and that your mental wellbeing grows stonger.
It is wonderful that YMCA were able to offer you hope.
With every good wish for your future,
Norma.
Thank you very much for your kind words, Norma.
Thanks Gemma. Really appreciate your blog. Really hope things continue to get better.
Thank you for all of your support, Stephen.
Hi Gemma. I’m so sorry to hear about your troubles but so pleased that you have found the YMCA. It’s good, also, that you feel so supported by Clare and that you have made some friends. May you now go from strength to strength. Good luck and very best wishes for the future. Jenny. X