Tony’s Story
Tony arrived at our Future Roots house in 2022, needing both accommodation and support after experiencing trauma as a separated migrant child. With patience and tailored one-to-one guidance, he gradually built trust, developed essential life skills, and pursued his education. With the support of Herts Young Homeless, Tony developed from being a vulnerable, care - experienced young person into a confident adult living independently.
Tony's Arrival
Tony moved into our Future Roots accommodation in September 2022, after being referred by the Hertfordshire Care Leavers service. Not only did Tony require accommodation, but he also needed support to learn the skills needed to live successfully on his own.
As a separated migrant child, Tony had been through a lot on his journey to the UK. Some of his experiences were deeply traumatic, and understandably, he was quiet and cautious when he first arrived. It took time to build trust, but slowly, through patience and open conversations, Tony began to open up.
Addressing Tony’s needs at Future Roots
Together we started working through our programme of support, which not only addressed his accommodation support needs but also his emotional wellbeing. Through one-to-one support, we worked on his budgeting skills, which included helping him to make better choices, supporting him with his weekly food shop and ensuring all his bills were paid. We helped him look ahead too, preparing for the costs of running a home and what that would mean in the long term.
At the same time, Tony was studying at college, working towards becoming an electrician. Although he didn’t get the GCSE Maths grade he needed to move to Year 2, he stayed positive and set a new goal: to complete his Maths and English qualifications.
Moving on from Future Roots
By January 2024, Tony had made so much progress that he was ready to move into his own flat. Thanks to the foundation we built together at Future Roots, he managed the transition with confidence. He was setting up bills, contacting utility companies, and setting up direct debits, with little support from us. Tony was using his new independent living skills from the day he moved into his new flat which was great to see, and we were still there in the background if he needed us.
Over time, Tony made his flat feel like a home. He started to furnish his home, assembling his furniture and hanging his curtains, creating a space that reflected who he is.Tony kept studying for his Maths and English GCSE, and was actively looking for part-time work to support himself.Following his departure from the house, Tony shared that he misses the house sometimes and that it took a while to get used to being on his own. While in the house, he said he felt “listened to and understood” and that his confidence and self-esteem had grown. Tony continues to maintain contact with hyh and recently called sharing ‘good news’ of passing his driving test.