“When I first came into this country, I was homeless. I was sofa surfing and then applied for Universal Credit. I had an appointment at Kentish Town Job Centre and met my work coach. I told her about my current situation, and then she gave me a list of charities. And I arrive at New Horizon”
Teddy*, 24 had been sofa surfing for over half a year when New Horizon Youth Centre helped secure him accommodation at St Mary-Le-Bow Young Homeless Project. A project dedicated to helping young people experiencing homelessness prepare for independent living.
“You need to have patience because of the housing crisis.”
Teddy has experienced first-hand what this means for a young person in London. With soaring rents, lower wages, and reduced benefits, young Londoners are being priced out of safe and stable places to live, leaving them with limited and highly competitive options. Often, this means there are long waiting lists for spaces to become available.
After just over a year, Teddy has now moved into supported accommodation.
“The Housing Team, when I first got my new place, helped book transport to get all of my stuff over there.”
Since moving into his new accommodation, Teddy told us, “I feel safe, I’ve got a place to sleep, to rest. Where I’m living currently has got a big garden and a big apple tree, that I love.”
Through engaging with workshops at New Horizon, Teddy discovered a new passion.
“I love gardening. At first, I was discovering it [taking part in gardening workshops with our Youth Work team] and then I fell in love with this. You see every living micro-organism, the invertebrate working in peace, not even fighting, just doing the work. It’s wonderful to see Mother Nature and what it has created.”
Teddy has just completed his RHS Level 2 certificate in Horticulture and plans to continue studying for Levels 3 and 4, with the aspiration of becoming a gardener or botanist. In the meantime, he volunteers with two different community garden groups and currently works as a chef.
“In the future, I’m planning to rent my own allotment, to grow my own vegetables… I think when you grow something yourself, it tastes better… I think it’s great. When you grow something, you are putting love into it… and people love it.”
Teddy is currently saving to do this and keeping himself busy by gaining experience, volunteering on Sunday mornings to run the coffee counter at church, and developing interests such as photography and reading.
Since coming to New Horizon, Teddy feels like what has changed the most is his mental health.
“Meeting great people here, the greatest staff. If you need help, you just talk to someone and they will help you, not judge, and I think that’s great. It’s like a community, a family actually of different cultures, different people from different countries here for the same thing.”
When asked what he wished all young people had access to Teddy told us,
“I think people deserve to have home. To have a place to feel love. To feel like peace. Even some security, to feel safe.
“[Also] more workshops. In London, transport is quite expensive, so maybe how to repair a bike. I think that would be a great thing. Or maybe just more every life skills, like Eat Club [cooking workshops] that you are doing here. It would be great if there were more interesting things that people might be curious about. The more the better, to get a job because most will ask about your experience”
Teddy wishes all young people had access to opportunities to build skills.
* Name and photo changed to keep our young people safe.
