Getting to know each person and understanding their needs is a crucial part of the WHAT IF Process. Our approach means that we don’t require adults to fit in with our services. Young adults lives are so complex, and at times chaotic, we have to be flexible to respond to their ever-changing circumstances.

Critical to the work we do is building trusting relationships with young adults who may not have experienced this. This requires time, patience and understanding. The rewards may appear small, but are significant. This allows us to work successfully with young adults who have previously struggled to engage with other services. As a result of successful engagement, the young men and women have become involved in community-based services.

Our model of service

There are two gender specific services; the male project is located in the south of Glasgow and the female project is located in the north of Glasgow. Young men are supported by males and females and young women are supported by a female only team.

What makes us different to many other housing services is that we don’t just support adults who are using our accommodation. We stay with them wherever they are; in hospital, prison, B&B and other homeless accommodation. We exclude and give up on no-one. So even if they’ve lived a lifetime of exclusion, rejection, or dismissal. We’re taking the small steps they need towards not just survival but independent living.

Young adults we support

Young adults we support will be between the ages of 18 and 25 and have been assessed as requiring medium term support; (1 year to 18 months) in supported accommodation. The following issues will describe the range of issues being faced by the young adults the project supports:

• They are currently homeless or are sleeping rough
• They are currently inappropriately placed in other homeless provision or they are at risk of losing their current accommodation
• They are likely have experienced childhood sexual abuse and trauma and have some form of attachment disorder
• Their experiences are likely to have led (either in the past or presently) to forms of serious risk taking and/or harm to themselves, other young adults and the community at large
• They have been assessed as having complex needs and are requiring the level of intervention provided within this specialist facility
• They require a safe and protected environment
• The range of serious risk-taking may include involvement in serious drug and/or alcohol use
• They are at risk of becoming involved in the criminal justice system due to their behaviour
• They would benefit from a resource that has the potential to prevent young adults from being held in secure accommodation, remand institutions
• They are at risk of sexual exploitation and may be involved in prostitution
• Many will experience poor physical health for a variety of reasons

Case study for Sam

Sam is a young man in his twenties, he has a good sense of humour and enjoys following football. Sam feels that he is always on edge and waiting for something bad to happen, but no medical assessment of his hyper arousal has been completed. Sam has poor self care skills and often fails to seek medical attention for significant injuries.

Sam has experienced a number of difficulties in his life, especially in his early childhood. He witnessed domestic violence in the home, alcohol misuse and bereavement of his primary care giver. Sam does not speak about these often but when he does he is either matter of fact or under the influence of alcohol and distraught. Sam was taken into care and while placed in a foster home experienced sexual abuse.

Sam currently injures himself by cutting to cope with nightmares that he is experiencing, and is very keen that his friend’s do not become aware of this. Sam is very concerned about being accepted by his friends and being “one of the boys” and is becoming increasingly involved in gang violence and risk taking behaviour. Sam enjoys “the buzz” that this gives, and is fatalistic that he will end up in prison system

Sam feels that he is a failure as he has not been able to hold down full time job and is very conscious about his appearance and his clothing.

Case study for Jackie

Jackie is a 23yr old young woman. She is very caring about other people, has a good sense of humour and has an interest in creative writing. Due to a sustained lifestyle of trauma in her childhood Jackie has found difficulty in coping with day to day living. She has recently been diagnosed as having borderline personality disorder. She also suffers from anxiety and depression, resulting in her having difficulty going out without support.

Jackie often struggles with suicidal feelings, thoughts and behaviours. At times when she is upset she will become angry and shout at staff. She often finds relief from these strong emotions through cutting her arms or through overdosing on a range of drugs.
Jackie is the oldest of three children, she has one younger sister and her brother is the youngest of the siblings. Jackie feels responsible for their welfare at times. She has limited contact with her mother. When contact occurs it is often volatile. She does not mention her father.

Jackie had a baby at 18, she had a placement in a mother and baby unit. Due to concerns of the unit over Jackie’s ability to cope and care for her son, the son was fostered. The son has recently been adopted by his foster carers.
Jackie struggles with her eating pattern and her weight fluctuates. Her self-perception is very negative. Her confidence in leaving the flat had started to build but following a comment on her weight from a member of the community she has almost completely stopped going out again.

She also has difficulties with her physical health, she has gastro-intestinal problems, low back pain, and has damage to her liver and kidneys. She has been diagnosed as having hepatitis C.
Jackie is highly intelligent, she often thinks not only about her own issues but also about global issues. She is thoughtful and often insightful about her own circumstances.