Adam (real name not used) had sought asylum in the UK. After being granted the right to stay he was living and working in West Yorkshire, until coronavirus hit. Adam lost his job and soon lost his home.
At the beginning of the lockdown we found Adam whilst out on outreach. He had been sleeping rough. Adam was given a place in a B&B and we began working with him. Over the next month, we noticed a change in Adam. He was becoming quiet and withdrawn. We tried to talk to him about it but due to the language barrier, we weren’t able to communicate properly.
Fortunately, we were able to get assistance from an interpreter and Adam told us that his mental health was low. He had become depressed, withdrawn and was not sleeping or eating properly. Adam was coming to terms with losing his job, his accommodation and having no place of his own.
We worked with Adam to help him access mental health support and to find permanent accommodation. Adam needed to live in the city to be near college to continue his English studies, so it took a little longer to find the right accommodation for him.
Last week, Adam moved into his own place in supported accommodation. He’s doing much better and is happy to have a place of his own again.