…the night shelter was not just a place for the homeless to doss down but there would be support services, including a social worker to work with the men to try to get them back into mainstream accommodation and employment.
When I came to TMNT I was in ‘crisis’.
I had lost my Job and had been looking for somewhere to live for a while but was unable to find somewhere that I could reasonably afford. I had no other options left and was not looking forward to sleeping in my car, I can tell you.
Upon presenting to the shelter door I was afforded a warm and hearty “hello” by all the staff including Annamarie the Manager.
A man, not known to us, arrived at our door asking to use the shower.
I let him in and gave him what he needed, what he asked for, just use of our showers and some soap. Before he left I invited him into my office to have a coffee and a chat. We talked for 2 hours, about this and that, progressively the discussion became deeper and intense. For 1.5 hours of those 2 hours the tears rolled down this lovely mans face. His account of loss and trauma and hurt and hopelessness.
John didn't have a good upbringing, to be precise it was an upbringing that you and I may not have survived.
Having not had the best chance in life John was, (and still is) a very vulnerable person. John sadly found himself in prison a few years ago. John was advised that if he wanted to survive prison he should fake a mental illness and get into a medical wing. John did this. He was diagnosed with Schizophrenia for which he was prescribed anti-psychotics.
Steve has suffered significant head injuries for which he had been receiving ACC payments.
I came to the shelter when it opened, by the time I got here I was down and out, I had lost all hope. There was nowhere or no one to turn to, no future, I couldn’t see my way out of it. Life just felt like a never ending cycle going further and further down.
This is the first time I have been back in employment for over 10 years.
I arrived at the night shelter some two months ago through a referral from CADS of which I am a client. I was homeless and extremely sick and hung over from a bender on alcohol. Through the caring support of the staff here at the shelter I am now two months sober and have also managed to get a part time job.
This facility has been for me an absolute saviour, giving me all the help I needed to get my life back in control.
The staff along with the safe environment has given hope and all the help possible for a lot of the men who for various reasons have found themselves on the streets.
