Jon:Homelessness problems I faced and help I needed
From EveryonesHome.org.uk
Problems:
- Gate keeping by council from further or recommended information like possible hostels, or the time to wait until they'd do something else.
- I didn't know about the right to a homelessness assessment within reasonable (28 days) time.
- I didn't know the definitions of homelessness could be broad enough that I could have applied when sleeping in a shed.
- An Advice service with no advice to offer, same as the others, everything was made to get you to find a landlord whom could wait a month for the first month's rent to come through. obviously, such fine fellows in landlords are hard to come by.
- Severe depression at points that I thought due to drug war brainwashing that were due to my penchant for spliffs, but was rather an existing existential depression I was born into and countered in changing my own perceptions and actions over time. Drug services that condoned use, and were sensitive to abuse, offered little in anything beyond talking shop "support". They weren't very useful. For me.
- University counsellors whom would ask you all your problems make you cry to shit then tell you to go away - they'll say something next time, not now - another session in a month. Going to the doctor time after time asking for psychotherapy due to repeated macabre and suicidal thoughts and actions. Getting no response.
- Living in North East London and being naturally ignorant and then dismissive of pikeying round Charing Cross waiting for outreach workers, as the preferred underground recommended method of being selected for emergency accommodation.
Help I needed
- A housing market that wasn't a complete joke.
- Drug services that knew when to say - "we think your problem is more mental than substance related"
- Housing Advice that offered Advice and not unworkable Procedure alone.
- A Shelter that wasn't full
- A hostel that wasn't expensive
- An EveryonesHome shelter :p
