Here we share the inspiring interview and story of Russell, one of our clients here at Quo Vadis Trust.
Russell has been with us for just over a year, and his story highlights how ‘ordinary’ people can fall on hard times and struggle with their mental health, and how our charity is here to help and support them…
So, Russell, can you tell us a bit about your background, and how you ended up at QVT?
I’m 54 years old and a father of 11 children, aged between 38 and 15. I’ve always been a working man and had a vested interest in sports, and that’s why for the last 19 years I have been working as a sports coach, spending the last 14 years working at a local primary school as a coach of an after school sports club. I ended up at Quo Vadis Trust after I separated from my wife after 26 years of marriage, and I was homeless after being made to vacate the family house. I came to QVT via the Rough Sleeper’s Pathway back in October 2021.
Which scheme(s) were you placed in? What were the most positive, as well as challenging aspects of being in supported housing?
I moved into Bramdean at the start of October last year, and vividly remember how I was instantly welcomed by the Staff and made to feel at ease. Whilst at Bramdean, I received support for dealing with my alcohol dependency, alongside other on-going issues. After a few months at Bramdean, I had a conversation with my Housing Officer and we agreed that I would benefit from moving to one of the mental health supported accommodations, so I would have time to address many of the things I was dealing with, and build foundations for independent living. That way, when I would be ready, I could step down to the independent accommodation within QVT, and with time, get my own property. That’s why I moved to Brockley Lodge in December 2021, where I am currently residing now. This has helped me massively, as I am now living closer to both my family and work.
Being in supported accommodation was challenging for me as it was a completely new environment, that even now, I’m still getting accustomed to. I went from living in a family home to a shared accommodation, which was a massive shock to the system. However, through the help of all of the Staff – including the Housing Officers, contractors, cleaners etc. – and fellow residents, I was helped to feel at home and comfortable in my accommodation.
Personally, the most positive aspect of the supported accommodation is having a Housing Officer around who is there provide help. Having someone there to support me when I need to, or even simply just having a chat and a laugh during the day has had a massive impact on me and my mental wellbeing, and has been a key factor in my journey to recovery.
How did QVT best support you on your recovery journey?
I’ve been helped by my Housing Officers to deal with many issues I was previously dealing with alone. Through the help and support I received, I have been able to start battling my alcohol dependency and becoming abstinent, and start building foundations for living independently in the future. I have many fond memories of my time at QVT so far, but the one that sticks out to me most is when I first moved into the QVT properties, I was welcomed by all of the other residents, and made to feel a part of a family. This has been a massive contribution to helping me feel at ease and build great relationships with the other Clients. It’s also helped me to keep motivated to get better and improve my life.
What could society be doing better in your opinion in order to support people’s mental health?
I think that society needs to be more understanding and compassionate towards one another. We all have our own struggles and things we deal with, and all of these can impact our mental health. As a society, we should be more understanding of each other and understand that we all have mental health and things we’re going through. I believe we all should make an effort to listen to one another and be there to support people when we can.
You are really involved with volunteering at QVT- can you tell us what you’re up, what you help out with etc?
I help out around the scheme, making an active effort to keep all the communal areas clean and helping other clients be aware of how everyone can contribute to maintaining the cleanliness of the house and making it feel like a home. We also regularly partake in cooking dinners together or for one another, making this accommodation feel even more like a home.
I feel like I am the voice for people who don’t have a voice or are shy to speak up. That’s why I’ve taken up the role of Client Rep for Brockley Lodge. I enjoy being able to speak with other clients and give them a platform for stating their ideas, suggestions, complaints etc. so that their voices can be heard and appropriate changes can be made to provide an environment that will best support their journey to recovery.
In summary, my main philosophy for life is if you point a finger at someone, there are 3 fingers pointing back at you, so we should always try to get along with one another and find ways to work and live together, to make a supportive environment for everyone.
Thanks so much, Russell, for talking to us! You can read more case studies here