When I first arrived at Amber I was in a mess. My life was going nowhere. I’d been kicked out by both my parents and had been living a generally unproductive lifestyle of menial jobs, doing drugs, dealing cannabis and basically just existing in a negative way.

I’d had two unsuccessful attempts at post 16 education and had spent a few periods of unemployment ‘contemplating my navel’. After being honest, sleeping in my van and sofa surfing, I was sectioned with drug induced psychosis. This ironically was the turning point, as it was then that I found out about Amber.

Depressed and lacking focus, Amber staff encouraged me to participate fully in the day to day routine and activities. I began to rise from my pit and to get involved in a lot of rewarding experiences including a week long circus skills workshop culminating in a live performance, and a speech and poetry recital to an audience of around 300 people at the South West Conform conference on homelessness. My proudest achievement was the personal development course. Six weeks of intensive fitness training finishing with a 35 mile, 36 hour exercise on Dartmoor. The feeling of achievement we all felt on the bus home was one of the biggest natural highs I have experienced – complete satisfaction and a feeling of self worth, a marked contrast to my arrival at Amber nine months previously.

With help and guidance from the manager and team leaders I decided to apply for college to do a one year course in preparation for University. My future is so much brighter and I will keep in contact with Amber staff as I am eternally grateful for their support. I have made strong and lifelong friendships which mean a lot to me.

Back to top