With a great job I know that I'll be so much happier - and so will my daughter! It's the little differences which I'm really looking forward to. I'll have the right computer skills and a laptop to help with her homework and we won't have to go to an internet cafe anymore. For the last 3 years, I’ve worked as a cashier. It’s not my dream job but I needed to work. Now, I feel I can really look to the future.
2017 was when my family and I became homeless. At the time, I was in London and my eldest daughter was studying at university in my home country. She was in an awful car crash and passed away. I couldn’t even fly there straightaway as my passport was in the home office for a visa renewal. Eventually it was returned and I could be there for the funeral. When we came back to London, the landlord had sold the property we were renting and we were evicted. We'd spent any savings we had on plane tickets and had nothing left to be able to put down a deposit on a new property. We had no other option but to go to the council for help.
For the next 2 years, we lived in hostels and emergency accommodation. During that time my husband left us. It was a very sad, unsafe and stressful time. Thankfully, I received brilliant support. My solicitor and housing officer have been amazing and I feel very lucky. My housing officer was the one who referred to Beam. Step by step, our lives are improving again and I'm just so grateful.
With working as a Personal Assistant, I can’t wait to work in a more professional and positive environment. I'm well organised so know I will be good at an admin role. It’s never too late to change the path you are on and I’m just so happy I have this opportunity, to have a better career and make more of a life for ourselves in London.
Steph is working with Beam as she has been homeless within the last 12 months.