A qualified success for North Wales Housing

Published by Julie Jones NWHA for North Wales Housing Association in Housing and also in Communities, Health

A homeless man from Holyhead has turned his life around since becoming a tenant of North Wales Housing, and is now earning the qualifications that could set him on a bright new career path.

The man, who does not wish to be named, had been unemployed for many years due to alcohol abuse issues and an unstable housing situation. Eventually forced to take up residence at the Lighthouse homeless shelter in Holyhead, he was battling alcoholism and a 20 a day smoking habit at the time of his admission to the Hergest unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd.

Having completed an alcohol detox programme and successfully given up smoking, the man was offered supported housing at North Wales Housing, where he began working with the environmental conservation volunteering group BTCV.  This proved to be a life-changing experience for the man, who said:

“Working again has been brilliant for my confidence and means I am out meeting new people, which is helping me to stay off drink and gain certificates which I hope will lead me to employment in the near future.”

The tenant is currently completing an 11 week course run by Guto Roberts of the Practical Action team, based on Ynys Mon. The course, which is funded through the Welsh Assembly and the National Lottery, covers first aid, risk assessment manual handling, dry stone walling, fencing and CSCS training.

According to Lynne Evans, Head of Supported Housing at NWH, this success story is exactly what the housing association aims to deliver:

“The supported housing team recognises the need to get people back into skills-based training and employment, and this is something we work really hard with our tenants to achieve.”