Crossways, our Winter accommodation project, closed its doors on 1st April. We wanted to highlight the stories of some of our guests and how our person-centred approach can help those on the streets get the support they need to start turning their lives in a more positive direction.
‘P’ was a women in her 30s who experienced mental health difficulties. Her behaviour meant that she was asked to leave the family home. Having never been homeless before, ‘P’ ended up on the streets.
‘P’ was contacted by the Street Outreach Team (SOT), verified as rough sleeping and supported in making a homelessness application to Cambridge City Council. Unstaffed Temporary accommodation would not suitable, due to ‘P’s vulnerability, and it was agreed she should be fast tracked into Crossways.
‘P’ initially had difficulty settling in and mixing with guests who were more entrenched in street life. But with support from the Crossways team, partners and volunteers her mental health began to improve and ‘P’ began engaging more with the Crossways staff team and external agencies.
The stability provided at Crossways meant that ‘P’ was able to re-establish links with her family and return home.
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