Video Stories

“Wet paint, don’t touch”


Reported by Steve

Published on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020

Emergency Accommodation Recovery Service Delivery
Video Stories

“Wet paint, don’t touch”


Written by Steve

Published on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2020

Emergency Accommodation

Recovery

Service Delivery

Steve talks about his challenges of homelessness and addition during the first UK Covid-19 lockdown.

I felt I was under a tremendous amount of pressure to stay clean.

And I’m one of them personalities or character traits that ‘Wet paintdont touch’…  well sooner or later I’m going to touch it. I’m not sure on the psychology behind all that, but, you know, that’s just the way it is.

Anyway, I touched the paint again. It was definitely wet. And I got kicked out.

They said to me – this was in the middle of the lockdown – you’ll have to get your own accommodation sorted. Which was impossible. You know, you couldn’t even get a face to face interview to be assessed anywhere.

So I ended up in a tent. Again, made the most of it, because what can you do? Let it drag you under.

Written by Steve


Steve joined the Listen Up project as a volunteer, initially working on the Call and Check project before becoming a volunteer on the Covid Monitoring Project. When Listen Up was launched Steve successfully applied for one of the new Project Officer posts. Although he enjoyed the role he decided his skills were best suited to volunteering at this time. As a result he is once again a volunteer reporter and has now done the HHPA [Homeless Health Peer Advocate] training which allows him to advocate for vulnerable people, helping them to access health care in a way that is best for them. Steve has roots in Manchester but travelling and meeting people from all walks of life while discussing the price of chips is something that Steve would describe as a perfect day! As a result he has recently moved to London.

Read all of Steve's articles

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Emergency Accommodation Recovery Service Delivery