Lived in a hostel when I was 16, AMA

[Lisha889]

Happy to answer any questions if anyone has any!

How old are you now and how do you feel the experience shaped your life?

I'm now 23. I've always been very independent but I suppose it only made this more so. I suppose mostly I've learnt from mistakes I've made at that stage, I'd often get lonely and associate myself with the wrong crowds, some of which were also living in the nearby hostels! I learned a lot about people's intentions and am a lot fussier with who I want in my life now!

Why did you end up living in a hostel?

@ivykaty44

My mother moved to a new area during my gcse's so I was staying with a family member. This was very complicated in itself but I wasn't able to stay there boyond my gcse's and had never had a great relationship with my mother so I had no real intention of moving back with her.

In my work I do come into contact with young people that are in similar situations. I usually want to take them home - but of course I can’t. So I spend time trying to give them information they need for life...

What information have you found really important to understand and has helped you not get in a mess?

I would say that just taking time to build a relationship with the people are very important, sometimes it's only the key workers that people have to speak to about problems and so it really helps for soemont to be there.

Also I would definately advise people to do soemthing, anything. I focused on education and stayed out of a lot of trouble but if someone's not so keen on academic work, even volunteering is great. A lot of people would sit around doing nothing all day and it was always them that was getting into trouble unfortunately!

My contact is very brief, minutes nothing longer therefore no relationship building.

There is a saying about idle hands