"I don't know where I would be without them": Lorna's story
When Lorna became homeless, Dorset Nightstop gave her safety and support to help her feel more positive about her future.
I remember being sat in the back of people's cars or walking down the road with all of my bags, and just thinking ‘Oh my gosh, my whole life is in my hands right now.’ It’s the realisation ‘This is actually happening. I’m actually homeless.’
Lorna, on being made homeless
After living at home didn’t work out, Lorna found herself homeless at the age of 16.
She would stay at friends’ houses for a few months but eventually started sofa surfing.
As her situation started to take its toll Lorna dropped out of college, just a few months into her studies.
Although Lorna found part time work, she also eventually gave that up because her mental and physical health were suffering.
I was trying to sort myself out but it was so hard. I just couldn’t keep on top of everything. All I could think about was where I would sleep that night.
Lorna, on leaving college and work
Over the following two years, Lorna moved around various friends’ houses, taking up any offer of a bed for the night.
She admitted that she often found herself in unsafe situations, where she took offers from strangers.
I was getting pretty desperate. I had just been kicked out of another friend's house and went to a random person’s house because I just needed somewhere to be. I’d run out of friends to go to.
Lorna
In desperation, Lorna went online to look for support and came across Action for Children’s Dorset Nightstop service.
The service provides safe emergency accommodation for homeless young people aged 16 to 25, each young person staying with volunteer host families in Dorset.
Lorna admits she had anxiety around accepting help from Action for Children but recollects how kind her first host family were.
It was a bit scary at first but once you're there for one night, and you wake up and they offer you breakfast, you relax and realise you’re OK.
Lorna, on her first day with Dorset Nightstop
Lorna found safety and warmth in the form of several different host families over the 14 weeks that she was supported by Dorset Nightstop.
But Lorna will never forget what it was like to be homeless.
“It’s the fear of not knowing what’s going to happen next. The amount of people's houses I've stayed at that I just didn't know. The amount of times I've probably been unsafe and not really realised because the bed I was given was more important than the risk. You put yourself at risk because there's nowhere else to go.”
Following the support from Dorset Nightstop, Lorna was temporarily housed in council supported accommodation and was recently moved into a Housing Association property, tailored to tenants with health difficulties.
Lorna is autistic and has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome type 3, which causes her to experience joint problems and migraines that she tries to manage with physiotherapy exercises and medication.
When she moved into her flat, Action for Children’s Dorset Nightstop service supported Lorna with a new bed, a mattress and curtains, and at Christmas she received a festive gift box.
Lorna is now focusing on settling into her new flat and improving her physical and mental health.
It's hard to settle into somewhere when you've moved around so much. You’re kind of waiting for where you're going to go next, but I do feel a lot better in general, and I do feel more positive about the future.
Lorna, on her new home
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