For the Homeless, Life is About Survival

For Rob Yates, a former homeless individual, navigating life was not about looking far into the future. Instead, his attention was solely on the present moment. He stated, “When you’re homeless you’re not thinking about what you could potentially do with your life because you haven’t got one,” adding, “You’re just kind of surviving day to day.” Mr. Yates, who spent his formative years in Barnstaple, Devon, recounted his difficulty in coming to terms with his circumstances, ultimately seeking assistance from charitable organizations like the YMCA. Data from Centrepoint indicated an 11% increase in youth homelessness in the South West during 2022-23, relative to the 2021-22 period. Mr. Yates disclosed that he began “sofa surfing” in his late teens following the deterioration of his family relationships. He described how his existence revolved around meeting basic necessities. “My first thought when I was waking up in the morning wasn’t, ‘Oh, what productive thing can I get up to today?’ “It was like, ‘Who’s going to let me have a shower?'” The 30-year-old, currently residing in Exeter, married with children, ultimately sought assistance. He stated, “If I’m honest, I didn’t actually treat it as homelessness,” adding, “I didn’t think I was actually homeless, you don’t.” He further explained, “It’s hard to swallow your pride and say you need help, but that’s ultimately where it comes from.” He noted that his circumstances worsened during his period of homelessness. “I’ve had to do some things I wasn’t necessarily proud of, maybe roads that I shouldn’t have gone down in terms of drugs,” he revealed. He then added, “[Now] I’ve been sober for eight years.” He concluded by saying, “It does take time you know, it wasn’t overnight, but people see through the clothes that are dirty and they see through the past that you’ve had, because they can see the individual that you have potential.” Si Johns, joint chief executive of YMCA Exeter, commented that individuals experiencing homelessness are frequently regarded merely as statistics. He stated, “All of a sudden they just become a homeless person,” emphasizing, “We’re not talking about a homeless person, we’re actually talking about Rob.” He further asserted, “They are people and they’re not defined by the current crisis that they’re going through.” Mr. Johns expressed apprehension regarding young women and girls who may be “inappropriately housed” as Christmas approaches. He predicted, “There will be some more data coming out this Christmas, I should imagine, from all the local authorities about just how many more vulnerable young women are finding themselves to be on the street,” he said. He noted that vulnerable women often seek assistance from strangers, potentially exposing them to danger. He posed the question, “You’re just kind of surviving day to day, and if you’ve got a choice between sleeping on the street where everyone can get to you or spending a night in this apparently friendly, so far, stranger’s house, which one will you actually choose?” He concluded, “It’s a really difficult choice to make.” For updates, follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available.