As a 17-year-old with a troubled childhood, Stacey Bellamy left home with nowhere to go. For months, she relied on friends to put her up. Six years on, she is herself offering vital support to those facing homelessness.
Bellamy, who lives in Durham, is part of an innovative project that aims to give practical support to young people in need of a home. Drawing on her own painful experience as a homeless teenager, she is helping to produce a pamphlet spelling out what it means to be homeless and offering practical advice on setting up home.
She is also closely involved in the development of a "buddy" scheme, aimed at offering peer support. Bellamy, 23, says she was fortunate to find Moving On - a one-stop shop that offers housing advice and support to homeless youth, and is in partnership with Centrepoint. "They helped me get my own flat and apply for funding for furniture," she says.
However, there was a gap in support. This became clear when she attended a residential weekend organised by Moving On, and spoke with other young people about their needs. "We did a presentation about a buddy support scheme and the importance of producing easy and user-friendly flyers about setting up your own home. Staff from Centrepoint said they could help us."
Bellamy is now planning to go to college to study social work or youth work. "I got my GCSEs. I'm back talking to my mum. We get on loads better," she says. "Now I want to do more."
