Rachel had a difficult home life. Due to anxiety and depression she found it hard to stay in school. When her relationship with her mum broke down, she became homeless as a teenager and had no choice but to sofa-surf, which exposed her to violence and exploitation.
Struggling with substance misuse and feeling hopeless about the future, she tried to end her own life. She felt like there was no other way out.
Today, life looks very different for Rachel. She found a place to stay at her local YMCA in London, where she could start to safely rebuild her life. With the help of her key worker, she has accessed support to face her past traumas and begin to look positively towards the future.
“YMCA could provide all the help and support I needed. I would recommend YMCA to anyone.”
As a RoomSponsor you help YMCA provide more than 7,000 spaces for young people across England and Wales, 2087 of which are in Greater London.
Well done Rachel!