Marks Story
Mark came to our Monday Homeless Drop-In Service asking for support with his mental health after his recent release from prison. At this time, he was sofa surfing, which had a massive impact on his mental health. As his mental health declined, he had started to think about suicide and was regularly engaging in self-harming behaviours.
Our team was able to support Mark in a range of ways, firstly, by registering him as homeless with Housing Options, where he was made a priority for housing due to his mental health. Our team spoke with his probation worker so that we could work together to provide Mark with as much support as possible. It was agreed, between our team at Bevan and his probation worker, that he would be referred to a local organisation that specifically supports ex-offenders with their mental health.
In addition to this organisation, we made sure that Mark was aware of local mental health organisations, including First Response and Guideline and we are happy to say that Mark is now living in temporary accommodation, which has given him some stability and a sense of independence. Although this is only a temporary solution, this is the first step to finding Mark a suitable place to live, that he can call his own.
Mark now attends MINDs wellbeing recovery groups and has found a new group of friends who he can connect with and receive support from, due to their similar experiences in the past. He now also regularly attends Andy’s Man Club and has found this to be a great help. We are proud of the sense of ownership Mark has taken over his mental health journey and are thankful our team had a part to play in helping him to live a healthier and happier life.