Danny was living with his parents, but unfortunately the relationship broke down and he started sofa surfing with friends.
He faced a number of difficult personal situations and experienced bullying throughout his teenage years and young adult life. He started to struggle with his mental health, and sadly, tried to take his own life on a number of occasions.
Danny was also arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and felt as if his life had hit rock bottom.
He needed help and arrived at The Elms.
There, he was allocated a dedicated Key Worker who helped him start to rebuild his life. DENS supported him to access the mental health support he needed and to build his confidence and self-esteem.
Once he felt ready, Danny moved into one of DENS’ Move On properties; shared accommodation with weekly Key Worker support for those not quite ready to live independently.
He has maintained his tenancy successfully and enjoys looking after the property’s garden.
Danny’s confidence has grown so much that he has secured a full-time role in hospitality. His ambition is to become an electrician, but unfortunately, he could not afford the course fees for the qualification required.
Danny’s Key Worker helped him apply for a bursary and attended the interview with him. He was successfully granted the bursary award and is looking forward to starting the course this year.
“He’s like a different person now – he’s amazing. I feel he’s been a real success story. His confidence has really grown,” said Danny’s Key Worker.
We continue to support Danny and are working with the local authority to recognise his specific welfare and mental health needs, and to include his medical assessment in his housing points allocation.
This will help increase Danny’s chances of securing his own home so he can live a fully independent life in the future.
Please note: Danny’s name and image have been changed to protect his anonymity.
This story was published on 16th August 2021.