Companion Alan's Story

"I was living with my parents until about a year ago. I kept having arguments with my Dad, big punch-ups and fall-outs. We just were not getting on very well. My Dad kicked me out. He had done it about six times before that too. When I got kicked out I had mates I could go and see and they sorted me out a place to stay for a few days. I also lived with my sister for a while.

Being on the streets is the hardest thing you can do. You never know what is going to happen to you. There are a lot of nutters out there, a lot of dangerous people. It was ok when one of my mates sorted me out a place to stay, but in the end I ran out of mates to go to. I got to the point I didn't want to ask them anymore. It wasn't that they were going to say no, it was just I didn't want to keep asking. Other people have their own lives to lead and their own families to look after.

My worst moment when I was homeless was when my tent burned down. I put it up in some bushes in a park and I thought no one would be able to see it. Some friends went down there and they were smoking and they set it alight. We managed to get the sofa out of the tent before it burned down, and the night before I came to Emmaus, I slept on the sofa in the bushes. It rained all night and when I woke up I was drenched to my skin.

The council told me about Emmaus and I thought it sounded alright. I got a bed straight away when I arrived here. I felt a bit weird at first. I think you do when you are in a new environment. With me, you have to earn my trust. People have to prove themselves a bit, before I can trust them. I've had quite a few knock backs and I'm not a person that mixes with everyone, but now I trust one or two of the people who live here. It can get a bit much at times, so I have friends outside the community too.

When I first got here I was in the Café working as a chef. Then I went on to the vans and the shop. Now I'm on the home team. We do the house clearances. I like what I am doing now because I can listen to my music. I write lyrics and rap and sing. On the vans I'm not sure everyone is that keen on my sort of music, they think I'm a bit loud.

This is a working community. You have to be a worker to stay here. I think that's a good thing because it gives you the chance to prove that you are not lazy and can work hard. It also gives you skills you didn't have before. I have learnt to cook a few things I couldn't before. My speciality is fish and white sauce. I was skinny when I came here, but I have started to put a bit of weight on now. Out on the streets you don't get a decent meal. I just used to eat whatever I could get and sometimes it was really disgusting.

Emmaus is my home, but I do feel different from other 18 year olds. Normal 18 year olds are probably still living with their parents. I'm near enough the youngest companion here. I would recommend Emmaus to other people who are in the situation I was in. Everywhere you go there are homeless people and often it isn't their fault that they have ended up on the streets. Like I did, they often have arguments with their families. I'm doing well here. I'll stay as long as I need to. Until I feel ready to move on. Everyone wants the best for themselves. No one wants to be homeless. Not enough people have heard of Emmaus. The community gives you the chance to sort yourself out and provides you with everything you need. I've got a TV and a CD player in my room and a great big bean bag that I can lie out on. Better than a sofa in the rain!"

Alan's story as told to Madeleine  

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Emmaus Brighton & Hove, Drove Road, Portslade, East Sussex, BN41 2PA
Tel: 01273 426470
Email: contact@emmausbrighton.co.uk

Emmaus Brighton & Hove is a community of Sussex Emmaus
Sussex Emmaus - Charity: 1053354 Registered Company: 3130876

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