Sarah W's Story
"I went from being as quiet as a mouse to one of the loudest people in the project."
Before ROOTS
My life growing up was uncertain at times, difficult and incredibly lonely. My family dynamic was extremely complicated, which lead to a lot of problems at home. I was only 14 when relationships broke down with family. At that point of my life support, patience and also guidance was extremely lacking....
Challenges Faced
Until I eventually moved into supported housing. To start with it was strange and at times a bit frightening. I barely said a word to staff, and it took about 6 months for me to begin to feel comfortable.
Finding Support
Eventually I opened up and started to find my feet. All it took was for one of the staff members to make me feel safe, heard and valued, and then everything started to change for me.
A Place to Belong
I went from being as quiet as a mouse to one of the loudest people in the project. Those things made a very big difference to my life and the way I handled certain situations or any decision I had to make.
Looking Forward
Growing up was very overwhelming and difficult, this made me shut down and over time and I struggled to communicate with anyone. After months and months of dedicated hard work, patience, and a lot of trust building I was able to open up and have important conversations with people that made me feel safe, seen and heard.