Adam's story

Adam had a hard start in life. He grew up in a rough part of East London in the '80s, lacking stability at home and school. After a stay in prison, he struggled to reintegrate back into society, and his relationship broke down. Left with no options, he ended up on the streets. Adam moved into one of our hostels in Northeast London, where he got the support he needed and deserved from our specialist teams. Today, Adam lives in his own home and hopes to work as a counsellor.

"We moved around a lot during my early years. My Dad was a builder. We would move into a house, Dad would do it up, and then a year later, we'd move to another house.   

It meant I was always changing schools, unable to settle. It left my education in tatters. I didn't even collect a single result or certificate.  

At home, my Mum and Dad got into a lot of fights. They eventually broke up, and I never had much contact with my Dad again. It was an unstable childhood."  

Struggling to fit in and lacking qualifications and support, Adam fell in with people who were involved in drug dealing and crime. He did his best to stay away from it, getting married and trying to find stability through work. But aged 23, Adam lost control and ended up spending 16 years in prison.  

"I had never done anything criminal before. I don't want to choose that life for me. It was a one-time situation, and I regret it daily."  

"I did a lot of learning in prison. I earned my GCSEs, was offered a scholarship at Westminster University, and then studied at Kingston University. I finished my studies when I got out and started working as an IT Junior Manager. My ex-wife, who I have a kid with, and I remarried in prison six months before my release." 

It felt like Adam was on the right path, re-building his life. But things weren't that simple.  

"I found it incredibly hard. I had to acclimatise to life outside of prison. My wife started to push a lot of guilt onto me and became controlling and resentful. I had nowhere to go but felt like I had to leave the house and my kid." 

He started sofa-surfing at friends' and family's houses before sleeping in his company van.  

"I started working as an engineer for Whirlpool UK, repairing washing machines, fridges, etc. I had the van, so I started sleeping in it at night. It was cold, but it was better than being on the street. 

"I kept working as usual, hoping no one would notice anything different. After everything, I didn't feel I had the mental energy to find a flat. It all felt too overwhelming—a mountain of a decision.  

Like many other ex-offenders, Adam didn't admit the full extent of his criminal record to his employer. The only times he was offered a job were when he didn't disclose his criminal record - a challenge many ex-offenders face when trying to reintegrate into society. 

"One day, I got a call from my manager saying I had to stop working immediately. My ex-wife had given him new information about my criminal record. I was fired that day and lost the van." 

Adam had lost the last stable thing in his life. 

"I spent the next six months sleeping rough around East London, embarrassed to admit my situation to my family."  

"The streets were horrible—cold and lonely. I spent most of my time in the library.  

"Some nights, I would shelter near a block of flats. On others, I'd take cover under some bushes. I was lower than low. I would've preferred to be in a cell than on the streets.  

"I knew of places where I could get food and wash up, and sometimes I would go to my family for dinner. They still didn't know about my situation. I only told them once I went into a shelter." 

Adam connected with StreetLink and was found by an outreach team some weeks later. We first met Adam when he moved into one of our hostels in Northeast London. 

"When I first visited the service, I just went 'wow'. At that moment, it felt like a penthouse. It was my place with my own key. 

"It felt like a key to my freedom. It felt like the prison gate being opened for me. I could walk in and out of my door like a free man."

Adam stayed with us for eight months, during which we helped him work through his past trauma, prepare for legal proceedings, and rebuild relationships both in his past and within the community. He then moved into a temporary flat with continued support from our team and has been working.

Now, he's training to become a counsellor and has moved into his own place. 

"My ex-wife was making claims and threats against me. She would also use our child against me. The hostel team helped me with court proceedings, and the judge cleared me of everything.  

"I've got so much first-hand experience with trauma that I wanted to use my perspective and become a counsellor. I know what pain feels like, and I think I have the life experience to empathise with people who have gone through similar stuff to me. I want to give something back to the world."  

"I love having a place to call home, somewhere I can have my daughter over. The place still needs some work, but I'm so excited!   

Our specialist Ex-Offender teams help hundreds of Londoners, like Adam, who have had the odds stacked against them and are now leaving prison, wanting to be a part of the community and live a fulfilling life.  

Everybody deserves a place to call home.