Not everyone gets the chance to recover and rebuild their life like I did. That’s why I feel like I need to pass it on and help others.
Many of our staff and volunteers have lived experience of accessing support – including Debbie, who became a peer mentor after she finished rehab.
Now, Debbie uses her knowledge and experience to support others as a Rough Sleeper Coordinator.
“If you'd told me years ago that I’d be where I am today, I wouldn’t have believed you.
I was a service user at Change Grow Live and now I’m here talking to you. That in itself, I think, is just pretty amazing, really.
A new sense of purpose
When I went to rehab, I didn’t even unpack my bags because I couldn’t wait to leave. I used to scratch the days off in my diary like I was in prison.
Eventually, I went home for a weekend visit. During that weekend, I got ridiculously drunk. It was like I was really pushing the limits, testing myself. When I went back after that, something had changed. I had a different sense of purpose. I knew I had to make this work, and I just threw myself into it.
After I came back from rehab, my partner booked a holiday for us. At first I was surprised. He had never taken me on holiday before because of my drug use. I was always too unreliable for him to even think about planning something like that.
When we got back, I got a phone call telling me I’d been booked in to start my peer mentoring training. It turned out my partner had been sorting things out behind the scenes without me knowing, trying to give me a sense of purpose again. I knew I needed to do something, so I threw myself into this peer mentor role.
Eventually, the role came up supporting people who are rough sleeping. As soon as I heard about it, I knew it was for me.
I was never going to work in a place like Aldi or Costa. I just couldn’t do it. But this? This is what I was meant to do.
A chance to give back
Not everyone gets the chance to recover and rebuild their life like I did. I’ve been given that chance, and I’ve had the support of people who believed in me, which not everyone gets. That’s why I feel like I need to pass it on and help others.
If I can’t help someone with housing or getting off the streets, I’ll help in whatever way I can. I’ll give them a pair of socks, a cup of coffee, or a cigarette while we sit on the curb. It’s about doing whatever you can to make someone’s life just a little bit better, even if it’s only for that moment.
I’m proud to have made this role my own, and now I’m known for it. People mention my name and they know what I do, they know where to find me, and they know I’ll help.
Sometimes you see someone who’s just a shadow of themselves, losing weight, sick, and struggling. You’ve got to be their voice because if they shout for help, they get labelled as violent or difficult. But they’re not. They’re just frustrated. So, I see it as my role to be their voice and to speak up for them.
Breaking the cycle
Just last week, I had an encounter that really stuck with me. I saw a drug dealer I’d seen around for years in the reception area. He’s someone I recognise, but we’ve never had more than a brief hello between us. He’s always been a bit distant, but suddenly, there he was. I thought it was odd.
Then a week later, I found him soaked from the rain, sleeping on the steps of Hartington Road, wrapped in a duvet. Drug dealers don’t sleep on concrete steps. They always have somewhere to go. So, I knew something was up.
I sat down next to him and said, “You know who I am, and I know who you are. Let’s see what we can do.”
Eventually, we managed to get him housed, and that was a big win for me. If we keep people in boxes and label them, they’re always going to end up going back to drug dealing because no one else will help them. We need to break that cycle.
The best advice I’ve been given isn’t really in words. It’s more in the actions of the people around me—my colleagues and management. They believe in me, and that belief has given me the confidence to do what I do.
It’s not something everyone gets, and I feel fortunate to be able to pass it on to others who need it."