At just 16 years old, Amy’s relationship with her mother deteriorated, she felt she had no choice but to leave home and ended up sleeping on the streets. She was preparing to take her GCSEs and had no experience of living independently, so she was scared about what lay ahead.
“When me and mum fell out I felt so alone. I didn’t know what the future would bring and I was terrified. YMCA, and especially Manjit my keyworker, gave me so much support. I didn’t feel confident about staying on to 6th form and doing A Levels, but Manjit was always there to encourage me. It meant so much that she thought I could do it.
I don’t know what would have happened to me if I hadn’t been offered a place at YMCA. I felt so safe in my room and, for the first time in ages, I had people I could turn to for help.” Read more