Tom was living and working in Stockport when he developed substance misuse issues. Due to fractured family relationships, he moved to London. Thankfully, he was able to become clear of his substance misuse and moved in with his sister. But this was not a long-term solution, and Tom ended up sleeping in hostels and eventually ended up on the streets.
This is where The Passage Outreach Team found him and referred him to Passage House.
During his time at Passage House, Tom sought to keep himself busy and was an active participant in the activities we provide; such as day trips, gym sessions, and group work. He recognised that he needed to keep engaged with activities, as they helped maintain his focus.
As Tom’s Resettlement Worker, Paddy worked with a third-party provider to find him a place that offered a more fruitful pathway: accommodation that offered regular drug testing and monitoring that would support Tom with keeping on top of his addiction issues.
Tom also had an ambition to work in the homelessness sector and Paddy, through a connection with a voluntary organisation, managed to arrange for Tom to undertake a volunteer placement.
The work has helped Tom find a sense of community while building up his workplace-based skills, says Paddy, who is still in touch with him.
“It just shows what we can achieve with effective services, a willing attitude and the power of collaboration.”