My relationship with my dad was always a bit rocky. I lived with him and my step mum but then he kicked me out when I was 15. We were always fighting about something and just found it hard to live together. I don’t have a relationship with my mum.

After leaving Dad’s, I slept on my cousin’s sofa for a few nights before moving to my sister’s house, where I had my own room. I was there for around three or four months. I don’t think it ever really hit me that I was homeless during this time because I had somewhere to stay.

My sister wasn’t always easy to live with and one night there was quite a bad incident between us. The police were called and I had to stay at the station overnight. They released me the next day but obviously I couldn’t go back to her house after that. I went to a mate’s for a few nights and spoke to the council for help. It wasn’t a nice time really. Things were hard, but you just have to get on with it.

I ended up in a hostel but didn’t really stay there that much. I could only stay at this hostel for a short time so, just before I was due to leave, they called Llamau to see if there was space for me, which there was. I had a chat with a Support Worker from Llamau, which gave me the chance to speak about myself and find out what the house I’d be moving into would be like. I felt quite frightened, because it was all so new. I felt too shy to ask anyone for help moving my stuff in, so I just sorted everything myself. Although I know now that if I’d asked for help, I would have had it.

I didn’t like living at the house at first if I’m honest. Everyone was nice but it was all new to me so I kept to myself. One night, Sue, one of the Support Workers, came and knocked on my door and invited me into the office to relax and watch a film with everyone. From then on, I’d spend more time with everyone and got to know them. I felt comfortable then.

The staff at Llamau have been brilliant to be fair. I’ve had a lot of issues with my family over the years but I was always able to speak to Sue and Andrea about it all. I couldn’t do that before, but they made me feel like I could talk to them and get stuff off my chest.

They helped me learn how to manage my money, helped get me into college and helped find me my own flat. I’ve lived in my own place since May now and it’s good. I still have support from my Support Worker, Mike. It’s an hour a week and we just talk about everything and anything really. It’s funny because at first I wasn’t too fussed on Mike but the more I got to know him the better we got on. We’re similar people in that we just like to get stuff done, so we click now.

Things are going well for me right now. I have good friends around me and I managed to sort things out a while back with my dad. Before the coronavirus hit, I’d go and visit him and see my two younger brothers at the same time, but obviously that’s a bit different right now. Things will get back to normal though.

College is brilliant. I didn’t do so well in school and got kicked out in year nine, for a few reasons, but fighting was one of them. Now I’m studying my Level Two Carpentry and plan on doing my Level Three.

I am grateful to the staff at Llamau definitely. They helped me a lot. I’d say the future is looking good so far!