Our inside track on helping homeless

MAKING progress: customer champions Toni Sweetman and Dan Williamson with Threshold co-ordinator Neil Thomas

HOME is where the heart is for kind locals involved in a landmark scheme to make life easier for Oldham’s homeless.

The project, Inside Out, has been launched in the borough to provide home-starter kits for those trying to get a foot on the ladder and their lives back on track.

It’s been devised by staff at Threshold, Positive Steps and homeless charity for the young Depaul.

Yet a major input in the scheme’s creation has come from former homeless people themselves, dubbed customer champions.

They’ve come on board to help others learn from their experiences.

Among them is Dan Williamson, who moved out of his home after the break up of his family.

He was only 16 and faced an uphill battle to secure his independence, moving into his own flat, but with little knowledge of how to run a household he was soon evicted and faced with nowhere to go.

Dan, now 22, said: “I didn’t know how it worked, I thought bills like council tax were taken out of your wage.

“Then I was hit with these bills for tax, electricity and heating that I just couldn’t pay.

“I ended up sleeping three nights on the streets of Oldham when I left the flat — including Friday and Saturday night, which wasn’t easy.

“I didn’t want to go to sleep through fear of what might happen, people were drunk and I was scared of just making eye contact with someone in case they perceived it in the wrong way.

“I slept during the day in the hope that there were more people around and nothing would happen to me.

“It was partly out of my own stubbornness, not wanting to admit that I couldn’t deal with it, but in the end I went into Connexions, held my hands up and asked for help.”

Dan’s life couldn’t be more different now, after moving into Salvation Army accommodation he then secured a permanent tenancy with Threshold.

He’s now self-employed, has a girlfriend and is proud to be a part in the Inside Out project.

A successful bid to the First Choice Homes Oldham Respect Our Community Awards (ROCA) boosted the scheme with over £2,200 while a recent bag-packing session at Tesco raised more than £900.

The home-starter kits will be handed out to former homeless people aged 16-25 taking up their first tenancy and provide staple home items such as plates, cutlery, a kettle, bedding and pans.

Tenants will be able to pay for the essentials over time, as well as trading in volunteer hours to lessen the payments.

Neil Thomas, customer involvement co-ordinator for Threshold, said: “The great thing is that it is sustainable as fundraising will support the project in the future.

“For the people it will help, the scheme will mean the difference between them feeling completely alone and isolated and knowing there is a team of people there for them.

“One word from Dan and other customers is worth 20 from us as they know how it feels to be in that situation.

“It’s not just about handing out material items, it’s also about contact with others to form that support group.”

Dan has witnessed the struggles of some, still stuck in the revolving cycle of moving from hostel to hostel.

He’s hoping that by providing a family-like support group it will help break the cycle for some.

He added: “I wouldn’t change my experiences, if I hadn’t made the mistakes I did I wouldn’t be involved in this project to help others.”