James' story

“The pandemic changed everything and for me, it was a job loss and the end of a ten-year relationship. I found myself in a crisis where I did not have the means, and all my support structure changed very rapidly.” 

James sofa surfed with friends for over a year. 

“You run out of couches and use up your social capital with friends. I presented to the council as homeless, and they put me in a hotel that had been commandeered for the pandemic.” 

James was then moved around three temporary accommodation places for the next two years, which were unsuitable and unsafe.

"Being in temporary accommodation is great as you’re not on the streets, but it becomes counterproductive. That length of time, over two years, that’s a long time in temporary accommodation. 

“The first one I was in was completely isolating. There is no support network and no sense of community. The second one was not only bad, but it was also unsafe. They are not nice places to be after a certain amount of time. I avoided the kitchen like the plague. One of the knock-on effects is that you’ve got a horrible diet because you don’t want to cook in the kitchen.

“It was getting to the point where I couldn’t plan my life. I was in a severe psychosocial decline. In the run-up to me interacting with Crisis the first time, I was in a serious state of distress. It wasn’t sustainable, but I just knew if I kept going, something would change, and it changed when I walked into Crisis. 

“By chance, I saw a sign for Crisis when I was out. I explained my situation and felt completely validated for what I’d been through. The lead worker was forensic when it came to the options that were available to me and the legislative help. 

“Crisis put me in touch with solicitors who they had a great relationship with, and I was put forward for a referral. That got me out of temporary accommodation and saved my life. Crisis saved everything for me. Without Crisis, I would not be here.

“During my time at Crisis, I had a Crisis Coach. I knew from that moment I met him that we were going to click. We worked together on building my confidence. Crisis got me a gym pass to go back to the gym, which was great to get my strength and health back. I applied for a Changing Lives grant to do an online housing rights advocacy awareness course and another one which is the course I’m on now. 

“My Crisis Coach retired at Christmas. At that point, the work that I’d been doing with him came to a natural end, so he signed me off as a member. It was a nice way to end his career, and it was quite a poignant moment for me.” 

James is now in a flat funded by the council. He has been involved in several meetings with Scottish parliament and MSPs, sharing his lived experience. He is studying a masters in Housing Studies at University and hopes to work in the homelessness sector, using his voice to persuade, advocate and set the agenda for homelessness in Scotland. 

James' story reflects a real member's experience. His name and photo were changed to protect his identity.