John's Story
John first came to The Bridge in November 2019. His relationship had broken down and he was unable to stay with friends or family, so had found himself sleeping rough. He was very upset and there were concerns over his alcohol and possible drug consumption.
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By spending time at The Bridge, John began to feel safe, and it gave his caseworker the opportunity to explain to him how the services work. The Case Worker was also able to gently build trust with John by checking in with him regularly and having hopeful, reassuring conversations with him whenever he visited.
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John was later referred to the Leicester City Centre Outreach team and gained access to emergency accommodation. He also continued to use the food services and regularly visited the centre whenever possible, to socialise with staff and volunteers - discussing nature, music and culture over a hot dinner.
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He also continued to use the food services and regularly visited the centre whenever possible, to socialise with staff and volunteers - discussing nature, music and culture over a hot dinner.
John's caseworker was able to secure supported accommodation for him through a local housing provider and he began to engage with his Lighthouse Project mentor.
Unfortunately, during this time he started to have problems with the anti-social behaviour of another resident but he felt able to tell his mentor and caseworker about this ongoing problem.
At one point John's situation at the hostel became so difficult that he had no other option but to sofa surf with a friend. The Bridge was able to support him through this difficult time by liaising with the hostel staff and advocating for John’s safety. Fortunately, the matter was resolved and John was able to move back into his accommodation with ease.
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Soon after, The Bridge were contacted by JobCentre Plus who were providing an opportunity via PA housing for employment with a tenancy. John was immediately put forward to apply as his caseworker was confident that he could be a suitable candidate.
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John was very anxious about his CV as it had been some time since he had worked but with the help of his mentor, he was able to have numerous conversations to talk through his experiences and qualifications. His mentor was then able to create an up to date CV for John and prepared him for the interview and induction days.
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Although John was not successful with his application he felt proud of himself for trying and he now had the confidence to apply for other jobs, remaining positive throughout the experience. John continues to engage with his mentor on a weekly basis who continues to support him with his job searches.