Sam was Homeless...
Case study
Sam had been living with her dad and younger sister and when things got bad with dad Sam sometimes stayed with her gran to get some space.Sam decided she couldn’t stay with dad anymore and gran was too old to cope. Sam had nowhere else to go as all her friend still lived with their parents and had no room for Sam.
Sam had heard from a friend that the housing department could give her a flat so Sam visited the Housing office’s Homeless section at Kyle Street in Ayr.
Sam was given a homeless interview by the housing officer the woman at housing was a great help but could only offer Sam a place in a B&B which was miles away from her dads and grans or a place at the local hostel.
Far Away
Sam wasn’t sure about Bed and Breakfast accommodation because it was so far away from her family and was scarred and felt alone. Sam didn’t want to go to the Hostel either.
Sam felt she was on her own.
Then the housing officer said there was another option and Sam could be referred to Nightstop. Sam asked about Nightstop and the housing officer said Nightstop were volunteers who offered short term accommodation to young people 16 to 25 years old at one night at a time. |The volunteers were normal families who would accommodate young folk. Sam would have a chance to get a shower and get a meal. Sam would have her own room with privacy if she needed it. The Host were not counsellors but if Sam wanted to talk they would listen.
Sam was unsure about going to Nightstop but felt it was her best option. The housing officer filled out the referral form along with Sam which took only took a few minutes and didn’t ask loads of personal questions.
The form was then faxed to the Nightstop office. Nightstop then called to say they had a place for Sam and Sam could go to the Nightstop office to hang out for a while until she was picked up by the Volunteer Host’s or a Volunteer Driver.