I'm a care leaver and I’m now and living in semi independent accommodation, where I’ve stayed for almost 5 years. It all began when I was 16 and I had to leave my home. I ended up living in a car for 4 months until my college stepped in and got me some support, after which I ended up here.
It’s not been easy living here as I have no entitlement to benefits. I’ve been in the UK since I was 2, but because applications weren’t filled out at the right time I’m not a British citizen yet. Because of this I can only get access to accommodation and £50 a week to live off which doesn’t cover much. This is why I want to get into work, so I can provide properly for myself. I’ve felt a bit lost over the past months, particularly due to lockdown as I had to stop training people in boxing which I loved doing. Adding to this, not having an income and my residency status have both affected me.
I’m working with Beam to get into work in construction. I’m keen to start in an entry level role so I can get some experience on site and learn about the different trades and how they work. I’ve done a plastering course in the past which I really enjoyed, but I’d like to see a few other areas before I commit to something. If I can get some part of full time employment, my income would be improved so much!