Emmaus gives people a second chance. It shows them that not everyone is going to give up on them; there are people here that care.
I’ve got a new flat, so I’ll be moving out of the community soon. I’ll be sad to go because Emmaus has been brilliant to me. They’ve been really cool.
I was excited when I found out about the new flat because it gives me the chance to live independently again. Most my younger life I spent in hostels or care, but my older life has been spent in flats, moving around. So, it will be good to get my own flat again, get my own space, do my own thing, get back to work full-time and just have a home again. Because that’s what I miss. Even though it’s nice here and really cool it can be a bit strenuous with everyone living here.
A day in the life
So, I get up about seven because we work every day, so we get ready for work, whether I’m in the shop, warehouse, van or anything like that.
It’s about a 20–25-minute walk to work, so I go on my bike now as it’s much quicker.
I like everything about my job really, just keep busy – I need to keep my mind busy and myself busy, so I don’t mind learning new stuff.
I’ve painted the community kitchen and the doors, and I’ve now started decorating the living room, so I’ve started taping up and cleaning before I start painting.
I love working with customers because it’s something I’ve always done, I’ve worked in hotels, I’ve done VIPs and silver service. I love working in the shop, you get all the banter, and we have a laugh and cheer people up – that’s a good day for me.
When I finish work, I ride my bike back home. Normally, I have tea if it’s done grab a cup of tea, go upstairs, relax and watch a bit of telly. I go on my phone for a bit, play my favourite game and before you know it, it’s bedtime and back to work.
I like it at Emmaus
The support I get is really good. I have brilliant support workers who are always there when I need them. They’re really good people.
I like it here. When I first came here, I was in a bit of a mess, but I seem to have really come out and back to my old self, which is pretty good. I’ve got a decent room which is full of my stuff.
My best day at Emmaus is when everyone’s happy – so it depends what way you wake up. I like the day-to-day routine.
There are people that care
Emmaus gives people a second chance. It shows them that not everyone is going to give up on them; there are people here that care. But you’ve got to toe the line also.
You’ve got to change your attitude if you want to make it work. You can’t always rely on the support. But it does help you because once you’ve got a roof over your head and you’ve got support, you can build on it.
I was homeless and it’s so difficult to get things done when you’re homeless because you’re always freezing cold or you’re worried about where you’re going to eat.
Here you’ve got a roof over your head and food in your stomach. It’s warm and that makes a massive difference for you to be able to do other things you want to do. I’ve been working on my cv and interview skills and I’m looking forward to moving on.
