Before Ready4Home

Keith had been in and out of unstable housing for years before entering prison. When he was released, he had nowhere safe to go.

‘’Before I found Ready4Home, I was bouncing from sofa to sofa, hostel to hostel and sometimes committing offences just to have a bed and some food for the night. It was exhausting and I felt like no one wanted to give me a proper chance.’’

Housing had always been one of the biggest barriers for Keith. Without stability, holding down a job or managing day to day life felt impossible.

Challenges of homelessness

Homelessness created a cycle that kept pulling Keith back towards offending.

‘’When you don’t have a place to stay, you’re constantly on edge. I couldn’t look for work properly, I couldn’t register with a GP and keeping my belongings safe and clean was a massive struggle for me. Sometimes, I felt like offending was the only way I’d get a roof over my head, even if it meant ending up back in a cell.’’

Living without secure housing left Keith vulnerable, isolated, and desperate for change.

Life daily without a home

Day to day survival consumed all of Keith’s energy.

‘’ I was always thinking about the next night, where am I going to sleep? How am I going to eat? You don’t think about the future because you’re just trying to get through the day. It takes away your confidence and makes you feel like you’re not worthy of anything.’’

This instability made it nearly impossible for him to move forward.

Transition into Ready4Home

On the day of Keith’s release, a Ready4Home staff member collected him directly from the prison gates.

‘’I didn’t know what to expect, but the staff were waiting for me. Straight away they made me feel like I wasn’t just another ex-offender, I was someone they cared about.’’

The Ready4Home team took him to important appointments, made sure he had everything he needed, brought him to his new home and made sure he felt safe and secure in his new location.

What stood out about Ready4Home

Keith recalls his first impressions vividly.

‘’The referral process was quick and easy. When I arrived, the house was clean, my room was ready, and everything felt welcoming. The staff were friendly and empathetic, they treated me with respect from the start and even introduced me to the other residents in the property that made me feel part of a family.’’

The small details helped Keith feel human again and gave him hope.

Moving forward

Since joining Ready4home, Keith has started rebuilding his life. He now has stability, routine and support.

Keith said ‘’Having a home has given me the chance to focus on the future instead of just surviving day in day out. I feel like I finally stand a chance to stay out of prison and do something better with my life’’.

Ready4Home has not only provided me with a roof over Keith’s head but also the foundation for lasting change.

A message from Keith

Keith recognises how important Ready4Home has been in helping him break free from the cycle of homelessness and offending.

‘’I’m so grateful for Ready4Home. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be now. To be honest I’d probably be back inside prison or still on the streets. They gave me a home, but more than that, they gave me hope. They’ve changed my life for the better, and I’ll always be thankful for the support they showed me from day one.’’