AmyLee, 25, has been homeless for 3 years. After a relationship breakdown with her family, she had nowhere else to go. Now she is in Peter’s Place, she has safety and stability – but she wants to find a home of her own. Here she tells her story in her own words.
“Being homeless has been really stressful. I have stayed in five different hostels over the years – before I came to Peter’s Place. In the early days, I saw a lot of drugs. A hostel is not a place for a young person and worst especially if you have additional needs like me. Some of the hostels were shared bedrooms so I was woken up all the time with lights going on and off all night. At one point, I had enough so I slept on the streets, on a bench. It was so cold, I only spent one night on the streets. Luckily, I was able to find a better hostel.
I’ve been in Peter’s Place for one and a half years now, I have my own bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette so there is more privacy here. I have a key worker as well, so they help me to try to find housing, employment and other stuff.
I would like to say I’m hopeful I’ll be out of homelessness soon but there is nowhere to rent and no sign of getting social housing.
I feel lost and trapped in homelessness and have no idea how much longer I will be here.
I’m looking every day and have gone to a few viewings but there is a lot of competition and some of the places I’ve seen are not liveable in. One place I went to view recently where they were looking for 1,000 euro a month was an old bedsit which was falling apart.
All I wasn’t is my forever home. In six months’ time, I don’t want to be in this situation. I study graphic design in college. I want to be a tattoo artist. I’m really creative.
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