Dylan's Story

Dylan (not real name) was in a cycle of offending/prison/homelessness for over 7 years and had a history of substance use and violence, leading to tenancy breakdowns. Prior to living in Goleudy’s Community Housing, Dylan had experienced an extremely unstable and upsetting upbringing, resulting in time spent in the care system. He lacked positive role models growing up and turned to alcohol and substances. This resulted in violence and Dylan being held in legal custody.  On release, Dylan needed help to find somewhere to live and support to get his life back on track.

Dylan was referred to Goleudy’s Community Housing whilst he was still in prison and which really helped to reassure him.  This allowed us to put a plan in place to prevent Dylan from returning to homelessness when he was released from prison, reducing the likelihood of re-offending. When Dylan moved in, he did find the transition difficult as he had not lived in a shared community house before and felt unsettled. Goleudy supported Dylan to become orientated in the house in terms of practical daily living skills, as well as becoming familiar with the local area. We arranged support sessions around what best best suited Dylan and this allowed him to explore the local area and feel more comfortable.

Goleudy worked with Dylan and the other residents in the house to facilitate a positive living environment through shared living techniques. Dylan also received additional support from our dedicated Solution Focus Service, giving him the opportunity to explore his ‘best hopes’, ‘preferred futures’ and acknowledge ‘progress achieved’.  This helped Dylan to see that small changes can make a big difference.