About Northlands Salvation Army

Here are some accounts from clients in their own words detailing how they have benefited from their stay at Northlands:

Stephanie had to leave her mother’s house after a serious argument. She had started hanging around in the local parks, drinking, smoking and evening fighting. “Call it teenage rebellion if you like,” Stephanie says now, looking back. Her actions caused so much friction with her mother that she found herself homeless aged just seventeen.

Northlands was not Stephanie’s first experience of a hostel. She found the first hostel a chaotic place and some of the other residents intimidating. “It was scary,” she admits. The habits, which had resulted in her having to move out of her home, continued at that first hostel and Stephanie was evicted.
As Stephanie’s eighteenth birthday came around, she found herself on the streets. She felt there was no-one who was helping her. “I didn’t know where to turn, I tried to sleep on a park bench but couldn’t because it was scary in the dark alone. I got in touch with my brother and ended up sleeping in his van. I didn’t want to tell my mother what was happening as I didn’t want to worry her.” Nevertheless, Stephanie’s mum did find out and she got on the phone, contacted the council and pushed for them to do something.

The council referred Stephanie to Northlands. On the first night, Stephanie met another resident who invited her over to their room for a chat and several other residents popped in. “Straight away, I thought it was brilliant,” Stephanie says. “The residents, the staff, everyone was really nice to me and welcoming.”

Stephanie feels that the environment at Northlands suited her. Stephanie recalls getting into trouble there. “It was the first and last warning I ever received. People at Northlands realise everyone makes mistakes so even when I had a warning it wasn’t like being labelled as a trouble maker. I had a warning and that was it; move on from it.”

Despite Stephanie’s difficult personal circumstances, she was always determined to succeed and she discovered Northlands was perfectly geared to help her to do this. Stephanie remembers being helped a lot by Jayne Johnson, Northlands’ Education, Training and Employment Project worker. “Jayne took me down to get forms to get back in to college and filled them out with me, I didn’t know about funds for college courses, but Jayne sorted it out with me.” Whilst still at Northlands, Stephanie returned to college, determined to get ‘A’ Levels so that she could go to university to study Law. Stephanie did not let anything get in her way and sure enough, started college in September.

Stephanie has fond memories of Northlands and particularly remembers all the activities and things going on; “there was always something to do, you didn’t just have to doss around. I remember the barbeque and camping trip, I’ve still got the photos of camping.”
When we asked Stephanie for her thoughts on Northlands, Stephanie said “It wasn’t just my keyworker, everyone was fantastic and were always helpful”.

Some of the benefits of being at Northlands, according to Stephanie were being able to earn credit tokens for the local gym and for the camping trip. Stephanie also found the Resettlement programme really helpful, saying that it taught her how to pay bills, look after food and herself. Stephanie still uses the recipe she learnt here for bolognaise, which she says has so much garlic in it that it “stinks my house out”.

Eventually, an opportunity came up for Stephanie to have her own flat. This was a really positive step for her. “I was buzzing about that. I was really excited to get my own set of keys – a place to call home. When it happened I really felt ready to move on. It was a smooth journey”.

On reflecting back, Stephanie says “I’m a better person now. I haven’t had a fight at all and have stuck to my college. I’m doing really well… my advice to new residents? Make the most of what’s on offer at Northlands. There is always something to do, even if it’s just a bit of gardening. I genuinely feel more stable. I don’t think I would have had that at another hostel.”

Stephanie is still in College and finishing her ‘A’ Levels soon. When Stephanie was asked about what she thinks she’s going to do with her life, she replied “I’m going to be a lawyer”.

Stephanie, aged 18.

Aged 16 years old, David was living with his family in Tredegar and looking into going to college to further his catering career. But then, due to a family breakdown, David found himself on the street and separated from all the opportunities he’d worked so hard to achieve.
Having found himself homeless, David got in touch with the council and was given a place in a hostel. He was relieved to have a roof over his head but was uncomfortable there due to the wide age-range.
When he got transferred to Northlands, David noticed a difference immediately. The other residents were of his own age and he felt more safe and secure. He was allocated a self catering room which allowed him to practice his living skills to be prepared for independent living. During his time at Northlands, he has made some friends and found the staff very supportive. David appreciated that it was not just support with accommodation that he received. Through Northlands’ Education Training and Employment programme, David gained three certificates in quick succession. He completed E-learning courses, gained a British Safety Council health and safety qualification, and also attended a food hygiene course at St Mellons Enterprise Centre. He also received support preparing for and, ultimately, being offered a position with the prestigious Celtic Manor Hotel as a commis chef. David said this has given him a confidence boost, and he is now looking forward to starting catering college in September 2010.

David feels much more positive about his future now and appreciated the support he had with his resettlement. He now lives in a one bedroom flat and looks forward to working towards his ambition to become a head chef.

David, 16 years old.

Chris came to Northlands twice but he did not get on to a good start the first time he stayed. “I had no motivation,” he explains. “I was smoking weed, drinking, getting into stupid trouble for nothing.” Chris very quickly progressed through the warning system and eventually lost his place with us.
Chris left Northlands and moved into a mate’s flat in Ely. “I moved into a mate’s flat in Ely. I got a job for a bit but didn’t keep it. I lay around on the sofa, smoked, drank and did nothing really,” Chris explains. Finding himself staying on his mate’s sofa had a strong effect on Chris, “It really brought me down to earth. I was tired of always bumming money and things from my friend, it wasn’t for me.”

A friend, who Chris had known since school, had recently joined the Welsh Guards. Chris looked at his friend, whose life had run parallel to his since they were young, and after thinking long hard he decided he wanted to join the army.
Chris put in another referral to Northlands and he was determined to do it right this time; he had a goal. “I knew the background, I knew what was expected of me at Northlands,” Chris explains. “And this time, I knew I could do it.”

On his second time around, Chris was much more motivated; he attended his keywork sessions, resettlement activities and, most importantly, he attended the Army Careers Office which was followed by a series of interviews, fitness trials and tests culminating in a gruelling 36 hour of examination at Litchfield.

One evening, Chris returned to Northlands, looking tired, wearing a shirt and tie and clutching a certificate. He’d been successful and had been given a date to start his basic training. “Northlands pushed me all the time; I might not have done it without that. I came to the hostel looking for my next chapter. I was lucky I was given a second chance to be able to prove myself”.

Chris’ friends are already asking him how he managed to do it and some of them have started looking into Chris’ route themselves. Like his old school friend, Chris himself is now starting to inspire his friends into improving their lives.

“My future is now 100 times better than it was going to be,” he says. “Coming back to Northlands and working with them was the best choice I could have made. It was hard but it was worth it.”

Chris, aged 19.

After an argument with my parents I was kicked out. I went to Marland House and they sent me to the Safe House, I was given a wrong room there and was then moved to Northlands. When I first got to the Northlands I was quite scared, I’d never lived in hostels before and the Safe House only had 8 rooms so I wasn’t used to living with so many people. Luckily staff made me feel at ease and helped me settle in.

My time at Northlands helped me grow up a lot. I had to be more independent but this was a good thing especially as I was preparing to get my own place. The support from staff was very helpful especially my keyworker as she helped me learn about stuff that I didn’t know about like benefits.

I moved on from Northlands after 3 months as I was offered a tenancy with Cardiff City Council. Even though this was scary I was also pleased and I felt ready to go. I’ve been in my flat now for 4 months and it is going well. I’m still working part-time and I’ve just completed my college course. I am now applying for an apprenticeship in a hairdressers and got offered a place in a choir with Aida Opera.

My advice to any under 18 year old who gets placed in Northlands would be to be yourself and it’s not as scary as it seems. Attend keywork sessions keep up to date with your documents, if you’re not in school or college attend the in-house activities and most importantly open up to the staff they are there to help.

Jessica, aged 17.

I came to live at Northlands at the end of February 2008 when I was 16 years old. My parents asked me to leave as I suffered anger management problems. I was housed here at Northlands by Cardiff Council Accommodation Unit. When I arrived at the front door I was pretty unstable and not knowing what to expect as I had never stayed in a hostel before. But I quickly made friends with other residents and was made to feel welcome and started to feel at ease.

I got on well with Julie my key worker and between us we looked at my needs. This included self confidence, money management and family issues. Most important was reconciliation with my parents and I am pleased to say that I am now on very friendly terms with my parents. I attended the resettlement group where you learn about all sorts of things to make sure I could manage a place of my own.

After 3 months at Northlands I was offered a property in Cardiff and I was over the moon to get my first place. Julie helped me prepare for moving out, such as sorting finances out, finding furniture for my new home, liaising with utility companies to make sure everything was ready for my move. I got a grant and decorated the flat myself.

I am grateful to Northlands for supporting me and helping me get ready for living on my own. The staff were very friendly, and always on hand to help if I needed it.

CD, aged 16.

Northlands to me has been one crazy ride!

I never thought I would get where I am today, I can finally say I'm proud of myself. My childhood was hard, caring for my mum and dad, abuse, messing up school. I ended up doing drugs and drinking at an early age, then came self harm. I never had boundaries or rules, so to me at the time life was free.

By 16, my mental health was chaotic. I was aggressive, unpredictable, I cut and overdosed all the time. Ended up on medication and by 18 was admitted to a psychiatric unit.

I got out and life was good for a bit. I trained and was working full time as a kitchen manager. I was also still looking after mum and dad. I guess it got too much so I decided to move into a shared housing. At first it was great, then, I ended up signed off sick. The house was a nightmare, drugs, prostitution, break ins. It wasn't long before the landlord was saying I owed him money and needed to work for him. Life was a mess so I went to Marland House who said for my own safety it would be better to move immediately.

So I came to Northlands. I was very unstable. For the first few months I was drinking, suicidal and had honestly given up any future. Slowly with the help of my chats with the night staff and the constant support of the day staff I managed to get a diagnosis of personality disorder and get me on the right medication. They sorted me a new mental health team, GP and counsellor who are brilliant. I started attending the Amber Project for my self harming. I joined activities like cooking, resettlement, job shop and arts and craft which built my confidence. I'm also looking into some courses/activities to build a daily routine. You could say I feel stable in myself again. I also need to mention my keyworker Lizzie because thanks to her patience, time and support through everything I can say at this point in time the council have offered me a flat and I'm due to move soon. Northlands has taught me a lot but mostly to respect myself.

Sarah, aged 21.

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