I always thought I was happy, but when lockdown came I couldn’t cope….”
Case Study: Supporting young people at risk
Paying bills was hard because furlough pay didn't cover everything and then I lost my job. The kids were at home, and I'm a single father and didn't know how to home-school. We are in a small flat with no outdoor space and I started to feel ill. My family are far away and I only see people from work in normal times. It was too hard.
When I didn't have enough food for the kids (I didn't care about me) I called the Council. They told me about a local charity and I got in touch to ask for food. The charity called me and asked me how I was and I couldn't stop crying. The next day someone came with bags of food and we spoke for a long time by the door. The following day, someone called and each week I spoke to someone from the charity. They helped me get support with everything and made me feel less like a bad pappa. When we were allowed I went on the walks, tried kayaking, joined the walking group and now go to the peer support meeting for coffee. At first I couldn't get online but they even gave me a tablet and data so I could use it.
It's still hard but I'm not alone. Where I live, the charity runs activities so I can see other people. I know my neighbours now. We even have an outdoor cinema!”