On World Mental Health Day (10 October 2024), local man Steve shares his experience of homelessness and the crucial role of mental health support, encouraging men to talk openly about their struggles.
After a series of relationship breakdowns, Steve found himself without a place to live. “When my relationship ended, I had to leave our home,” he recalls. “I stayed with a mate for a while, but then he asked me to move out. I had 24 hours to find somewhere else to live. I packed everything into my car, which had no windows and a broken engine, having been vandalised.”
The physical and emotional toll was overwhelming: “This was in early December; it was so wet and freezing. I covered up the broken windows as best I could with pizza boxes, but all my clothes got soaked and ended up mouldy. The cold and damp made me ill, and I was constantly feeling sick, coughing all the time.”
With the help of local street pastors, Steve found us at Emmaus Leicestershire & Rutland. Now, he has his own bedroom in a shared home for as long as he needs it, along with access to training, work opportunities, and specialist support.
Steve has been able to address long-standing mental health challenges: “My confidence when I first arrived at Emmaus was shot to pieces. I wouldn’t really speak or look anyone in the eye. When I lost a close friend, my mental health took a massive nosedive. I was angry all the time, didn’t want to speak to anyone, and took no pleasure in anything. One day, my Emmaus support worker pulled me to one side, and we talked; she arranged for me to start counselling,” Steve explains. “I was very unsure at first, but I found it so helpful.”
Steve’s experience reflects the stigma many men face regarding mental health. “I’ve always known I had some mental health problems, but I was under the impression that mental health isn’t a real thing, and as a man, you didn’t talk about such things.”
Thanks to the support he received, Steve has developed coping tools he uses daily and feels much more in control of his mental health. He now helps to run our Emporium shop on Stockwell Head: “I’m actually the only person here that can drive the van, answer the phone, sort donated clothes, and also work the till. That feels good,” he says with pride.
Looking back, Steve is grateful for the support that turned his life around: “If those street pastors hadn’t found me that day and helped me get into Emmaus, I don’t think I would be alive today. Instead, I’m doing well.”
If you’ve been inspired by Steve’s story and would like to support us at Emmaus Leicestershire & Rutland, find out more here.