If someone has kicked you whilst you are sleeping, urinated on you or verbally assaulted you have real experience of being without a safe and secure home. You know how to overcome barriers that stopped you and others from escaping this terrible situation.
The ‘Experts by Experience’ team (or Peer Support) started early 2022 and continues to grow and develop. If you have had struggles in life, you are in a great position to turn these experiences round for the good of others. Some of the experts we are working with have had experiences of sleeping on the streets, drug addiction, family breakdown or poor mental and with our help and their perseverance, have managed to turn things around. One of the things we love to see is where we have helped someone, they then want to help others. This can be with us or with other groups or people, it really does not matter. If we all do our bit, we can make each other’s lives just that little bit better.
The main focus is developing one to one support but this is complimented by group activities such as breakfasts, gardening and art workshops. These are chosen by the Peer Support to engage in the best way to help people break free from sleeping on the streets. The group also has opportunities to help shape city strategies, speak on local media and contribute to learning workshops; helping others understand their powerful stories.
