In 2006, through no fault of his own, Ryan found himself homeless in Port Pirie. He was 19 at the time.

“I only had the clothes on my back”

Having recently moved to town with his, now ex-partner a month earlier, Ryan was alone. He was separated from his family and friends, sleeping wherever he could find a safe place. It was at this point that Ryan contacted Uniting Country SA through our Amity Youth Homelessness service. From there we supported him into temporary accommodation at the Port Pirie men’s homelessness shelter.

While at the shelter, Ryan’s support worker Andrew worked with him to develop a plan to find more permanent accommodation. UCSA also supported Ryan in accessing food and gaining the possessions he needed in his life.

“At the time I had nothing. After paying rent I would only have $7 left over from my Youth Allowance for the fortnight.”

In just 17 months, we helped Ryan find his footing and assisted him to secure permanent housing, a place he could call home. From here Ryan has thrived, found work, built a family and provides to ensure his kids don’t face the same struggles he faced.

“When I first met [UCSA] I barely had the clothes on my back. Now It would take a couple of semi-trailers if I decided to move.”

Ryan’s story is inspiring, not least because of his resilience and perseverance to overcome the circumstances he found himself in. Ryan had nothing, no family, no work, no home. Now he has all those things and more. It shows that people can overcome the challenges homelessness faces them with. They need only the right support and people willing to help.

 

If you or someone you know is need of support, click the links below to learn more about our services.

Youth Homelessness Support     Homelessness Support