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Case Studies
My name is Donna Cowling ...
I am 35 years of age and have lived at the YMCA hostel in The Walk for nearly a year. Before I came to the hostel I had had my own tenancy, but had suffered a very scary burglary which left me too frightened to go back there. When I left I spent 2 nights literally on the street. I had never slept (if that’s the right word) on the street before and even though I’ve been no angel myself in the past, I was terrified of being out and on my own.
My name is John Hatsumi ...
... and I am 40 years old. I have been living in YMC8 for a few years now and it’s a really good place to be. Let me tell you a bit about myself so you will see for yourself the difference it has made to my life.
I have mental and physical health problems. I was diagnosed with a mental illness in 1981 and after having meningitis, I had to have a brain operation to put a shunt in my head. Before coming to the YMCA I was living in a shared project house in Splott.
My name is Nejim Alamin ...
I was an electrician in Sudan before I had to flee to seek asylum in the UK. I would have been killed if I had stayed so I had no choice. When I arrived in the UK I was sent to Portsmouth and stayed in accommodation for asylum seekers until I was given leave to remain. I was given one week to find somewhere so I stayed with people I knew until a hostel place came up. I stayed in the Portsmouth hostel for about a year and it was a very difficult time.