I became homeless around the age of 16 and recently moved to Transform. I had no family and no friends and was basically living on the street. I was always asking people I barely knew if I could stay at their place, but they would usually say no.

When I came to Transform, they helped me financially, supported me in sorting out my licence, and gave me a stable network around me. It was very scary at first. I have anxiety, and because I became homeless so young, I had never learned how to cook, so I initially found it hard to use the kitchen.

Angie, one of the key workers, supported me a lot, especially when I was too scared to go to the food bank on my own to get the food I needed.

For about two years while I was homeless, I didn’t tell anyone because I was ashamed of being homeless at such a young age. I’ve learned that when you come here, you should never be ashamed of needing help. If you speak up and ask for support, people can help you.

My main message to others is: if you need help, get help. There is nothing to be ashamed of.