Sophie, a 22-year-old music student from the West Midlands, was made homeless at the age of 17 just months after starting sixth form in what she described as the "regular way in a family home." Now a member of St Basils' Youth Advisory Board, she is preparing to return to college in September to study music.
A Sudden Transition to Independence
Sophie told BirminghamLive that she began sixth form at 17 in a family home but left during the first few months. She had to learn to enrol herself into college and navigate universal credit, a process she described as a rapid shift from childhood to adulthood.
"The whole process of changing from being like a child got switched off really quickly because I was 17," she said. Sophie was already dealing with mental health challenges before becoming homeless, including depression and anxiety, which she said "turbo blasted, turned up to 100" during that period.
Feeling Alone and Burdened
Reflecting on her experience, Sophie said: "I felt very, very alone. I felt as if I was begging everyone to help me and care, but at the same time, I didn't want to be a burden. I felt like I was simultaneously doing those two things."
Before becoming homeless, Sophie was navigating typical teenage experiences like building relationships and starting college, but she was also dealing with "family breakdowns." She described the situation as "a lot of things were layered and becoming homeless was the final layer."
St Basils' Role in Her Recovery
In 2022, Sophie began working with St Basils West Midlands, a charity and housing association that supports young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless, vulnerable, or at risk. The charity provided her with a safe living space and helped her make important decisions.
"St Basils helped because they became the middle man between rough sleeping at friends' houses and moving around," Sophie said. She acknowledged that while it was not easy to trust newfound adults, she still had choices and support along the way.
Sophie highlighted the sense of relatability and mutual support at St Basils, where young people help each other through shared knowledge and experience. She is now hoping to return to college in September to study music and has been applying for jobs with the goal of entering the world of performance.
