SW at Shaftesbury House
"It’s okay to live here. I’ve got a wardrobe, bed, table, kettle and stuff from my dad, such as the microwave, is really handy. Everything around here suits me. I volunteered as the Resident Rep and I attend monthly meetings with all the other residents. It’s okay doing this, chatting with people discussing what we agree and disagree on. We can refer to what people love to do such as arranging trips pout then we feed this back to the staff. Like one time we arranged a trip to Blackpool which didn’t go well as nobody turned up. So we went to the Safari Park and although most of us had been before it was really nice for those who hadn’t been.
Now I budget really well I pay my rent water, electric etc. My new boyfriend has changed me. I am more responsible now. I pay rent £11.92 for two weeks, £4.00 tokens for the meter, £30-40 for shopping. Any thing else comes out of the £40 I have left, travel, telephone, I quit smoking anyway so that save me money. What I have left over goes into the post office savings for the baby.
I hope to move from this bed-sit to Howard House where I can have a self contained flat. I will get the next one coming through. I have just found out I am pregnant. I had a miscarriage lest year which was really the best thing that could have happened as I was in an abusive relationship. I am looking forward to this one as my boyfriend is really supportive and looking forward to it too.
Learning Skills and Work
I am taking some courses to help with my future. The LSW worker got me on to the Anger Management Course and a Counselling Course, which have both helped me to cope better.
Professional futures. (Peer Education Programme)
I didn’t really want to go to this because it is group work which I find makes me really tired. I was encouraged to go along and see what it was all about. I am glad I did. It has given me confidence in myself and I’ve got a lot of certificates. I got on ‘Loudmouth Theatre’ training where I joined in the acting, I did the ‘HIAH’ drugs workshop and also got the certificate for the ‘Children’s Act’.
STAMP
I’ve also done a few STAMP sessions with youth groups. My first made me really nervous telling people about my experience but the second one was better, even though I did the whole session myself. I also delivered a session to some Seeing is Believing visitors. 25 people mainly adults, it was really difficult. It’s hard to talk to adults and to get them speaking which was hard because they're not my age. A couple of kids from the Grace Academy school were cool and asked questions about what to do in the living room, and what they would miss about it physically, socially and mentally. They helped to make it a bit more fun for everyone.
For the future I want to be a classroom assistant I want to do childcare training. I hope to move to America after the baby is born where my boyfriend’s family have business there. He has had a couple of bad experiences and is a lot older than me but he treats me well.
I have loads of certificates for Sport which I love.
Karate, Football., Swimming, I could qualify as a lifeguard.
