Debbie and Ryan

Accommodation

At one point, Debbie and her son Ryan were homeless, resorting to night shelter accommodation.

‘Things were getting out of hand because a night shelter is not an appropriate place for children,’ recalls Debbie.

She and Ryan had moved away from home, leaving behind a messy family situation. But they ended up alone and struggling, without any family support.

Thankfully for Debbie, a Salvation Army flat had just become available. The block of four flats provides a safe and caring environment for families who have fallen on hard times. People stay for up to six months, giving them time to sort out their lives. Individually-tailored life-skills programmes help them to bounce back.

‘It’s very supportive and safe here, and I’m also able to talk about things with the Salvation Army staff.’

Debbie says that finding work was a top priority and moving to the Salvation Army flat gave her the breathing space to get a job.

‘I haven’t had so many positive things happen to me in such a short space of time before. I am really grateful to the staff for their help and support.’