Finding Hope and Home: Marianna's Journey with Crisis Skylight Birmingham

When she lost her grandmother during the pandemic, Marianna found herself completely alone in Birmingham. With no close family nearby, she was left with no place to go and no one to turn to.

"After she died, I became homeless," Marianna recalls. Following her grandmother's death, Marianna moved in with a partner who became abusive. "He beat me up and the police told me I had to move out," she says. From there, she sought safety in a women's refuge. When her time there came to an end, she found herself sofa surfing. "I bounced from one place to another, staying with friends. Sometimes, I was told I had to leave. Sometimes, I was just thrown out."

It was a time filled with instability and despair. "I would break down," she says. "I kept asking myself, where is the next pick-me-up going to come from? Where is the next person who will say, 'I understand'?"

That moment of connection finally came when a friend introduced her to Crisis Skylight Birmingham. "She gave me the number and said, 'Sit down and speak to these people, they will help you.'"

Marianna was first welcomed by Afzal, an engagement and assessment worker, who then introduced her to Sam, a Lead Worker. That introduction became a turning point.

"Sam has been a rock to me," Marianna says. "There were times when I was crying on the phone and she was there to give advice and make me feel better."

After unsafe and unsuitable placements through other channels, Crisis supported Marianna in finding accommodation that gave her dignity and safety.

"Tom, the Operations Manager, gave a referral for a place with an ensuite where I had my own toilet and shower. I felt better there. I didn’t have to share, and it felt clean and safe."

Despite facing serious health issues and a hospital stay, Marianna kept fighting. "They had to operate, and I was in hospital for a month. But I told myself, I have to put my boxing gloves on. I have to meet life head-on. Tomorrow is a different day."

Her determination paid off. In February, she moved into her own independent flat. "I snatched it to say, well, this is mine and I can build myself from here. I focused on getting better and sorting out my flat."

With her own space and ongoing support from Crisis, Marianna is now looking ahead. "I'm looking forward to getting back into work," she says with pride. "I have my certificate as a hairdresser and I want to run my own business."
Once Marianna is fit to work, she will be supported into creating her own hairdressing business through Crisis' Changing Lives scheme.

Her journey hasn’t been easy. She has faced racial abuse, exploitation, and violence. Yet through it all, she’s remained resilient. "I just push myself up, pat myself on the back, and say, you're doing good. Then carry on."

For Marianna, Crisis has been more than a service. It's been a lifeline.

"Crisis has been so supportive to me. With them, I didn't feel like life was not good anymore. I felt like I had hope."

"I'd rather be hungry than homeless," she adds. "Because homelessness puts a load on you. When you're homeless, you feel like you're nobody. But now, I feel like a person again."

As Marianna continues her journey, she's clear that her story is far from over. "My journey with Crisis isn’t ending yet. I’m starting something new with my hairdressing business. And I know I can still knock on that door if I need help."

Her words are a powerful reminder that with the right support, a new chapter is always possible.

"It’s not because you find yourself homeless that it means it’s the end of the world. It’s just a phase that many of us go through. Crisis helped me through mine."