People can become homeless for various reasons: Whether it is due to a relationship breakdown with family, escaping violence/abuse, or becoming unemployed, homelessness does not discriminate: It can strike anyone, at any moment.

Fortunately, despite being few and far between, services such as Streetlife are there not only to give young people the support they so desperately need, but to also empower them into making something of themselves.

Our new feature, Then and Now, will share the stories of young people who have transformed their lives for the better. Meet Matt, who, after using our service in 2015, is now a football coach in Mexico…

“My name’s Matt, I’m twenty three and was first directed to Streetlife by the Citizens Advice Bureau in Kirkham in February, after being assaulted by my father and was then living with my parents.

After the night I had the staff at Citizens Advice Bureau were very helpful, sympathetic and proactive.

My first meeting with Streetlife I was met by a very passionate team in which for someone in my position needed. I had people that were concerned, whom I could talk to and very much wanted me to look further ahead for myself.

That night I spent in the Streetlife shelter which for myself was daunting at first but was a great experience, I had somewhere safe, which was warm, a meal and yet again more people to talk to. That was my one and only night in the shelter and I will take my experience with me.

Along with that over the next few weeks I had more meetings with Streetlife in which to talk about my path going forward. I was able to sort out my finances and work, along with doing a couple of free computer courses.

From the Streetlife base I actually saw a poster for the Princes Trust who were running a Get Started in Music course for a week.

Louisa and Claudia immediately contacted them for me to get a place in which I was told this would be great for me to get some contacts in the field that I worked in, sports coaching. And low and behold they were right!

Out of the five from Streetlife that were supposed to go I was the only one that actually turned up and I had an absolute blast of a week with everyone on that course.

After completing the course I have since been contacted by the course leaders Sue and Greg about job opportunities.

I am now very much looking forward to my new job in Monterrey, Mexico where I will be spending eight months coaching at an international school who are partnered by a Premiership club.

If it wasn’t for the support and encouragement from the Streetlife team or the dedication and hard work of the Princes Trust this opportunity wouldn’t have existed.

I am very fortunate that I had the right people at the right time to get me to look forward and be positive of the future.

I will forever value the team at Streetlife and for all the work they do for everyone that they encounter.”

For more information on the services we offer, find out more by clicking here. Alternatively, to see what you can do to help support young people like Matt – whether it is through donating or volunteering – click here.