James was one the first to join the peer research project as part of group one. Here he shares his story, and shows how being part of the project has helped him.
The low point
“All fell apart in summer 22”
It's not like James was always struggling, but returning to England after working abroad for a while, he found that things started to fall apart. The business he was setting up was racking up debt, and his mental health was plummeting. Unable to pay the rent, he ended up sleeping in his car. He was alone, desperately depressed, struggling with physical as well as mental health, and unable to see a way out.
At one point things were so bad that he ended up in A&E. When he was discharged, they offered to pay a taxi back to his car.
In the end it was his GP who helped him contact the council to sort out his benefits, and get the blue badge he was entitled to for his disability. But from there he found it a struggle to get help from the council with his homelessness. He felt talked down to and dismissed as unimportant, which was particularly difficult because he already felt so low himself. He described the interactions as ‘horrible’. Only when answering yes to the question of whether he had actively tried to take his own life did he feel taken seriously. James was placed in temporary accommodation.
It was the referral to Justlife that really turned things around for him. He was helped into his own flat, and supported with his loneliness and depression through the Social Connection Project.
"Having someone in your corner, that actually genuinely wants the best for you,
not just ticking boxes; that was a big thing."
Joining the Peer Research Project
James joined the Peer Research project in March 2023. At first he was unsure, but he was interested, and, having already been helped by Justlife, he was ready to give it a go. From barely speaking in the first sessions, wearing blue tinted glasses to shield himself from the light that aggravates his autism, James quickly went on to be a valued asset to the group. Not only was he quick to grasp the complexities of the subject, he injected a lot of fun and laughter, which helped everyone deal with the difficulties inherent in some of the conversation.
“Having your opinions valued. It is very rare, at that stage of your life when you’re struggling”
The Peer Research project was designed with genuine co-production in mind, and it really helped James feel valued; like his opinions actually mattered. The peers were given the skills they needed to design and conduct their own research, as well as understand and question research carried out by others. As facilitators, it was wonderful to see the confidence and creativity grow.
These are some of the things James has to say about the benefits of being part of the project:
“Being trusted with responsibility to do the research itself was a big thing”
“Learning about the others’ experiences of homelessness, which were all so different”
“Feeling useful, building confidence, and having a routine to fill the time with. When you’re depressed, you don’t have much energy and then you’re just sitting around”
“Something to occupy my mind and use my brain”
James used his newfound confidence and skills to secure a fully funded place to study for a post grad in Education Mental Health Practice at Kings College London (KCL). This meant he had to leave the group early, but not until the pilot manual had been put together.
What happened next
Through the course, James spent half his time studying at KCL, and half his time working for Mind with children and young people struggling with their mental health. Even though the work was part of the course, it was paid, so he now had an income.
“Intersectionality. [Peer Research] was the first experience of that word. That was really useful going into university”
As his DBS check wasn’t ready in time, James was only able to start three months in. In spite of this, and a gruelling commute to London, he was able to finish the course on time and get his post graduate degree.
“And then all the driving! I had to get up at four in the morning, and then I didn’t get back till seven at night.”
James excelled at working with children and young people through schools, alongside their parents and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) staff. He found his own experience added value to the role. According to him, 80% of the children he worked with had autism or ADHD. He was upfront about his own autism, and found that was an excellent way to build trust.
In addition, James worked with primary and secondary schools to become ‘mentally healthy schools’.
Before starting this course, he was worried he might get triggered by the work. But that never happened. He was only triggered once. That was an interaction with a service, on behalf of a parent, where he felt spoken to in the same way that housing had spoken to him when he was at his lowest. “It brought me straight back to that moment”. He had to hang up.
Talking to children with autism, having autism himself, made him particularly well placed to understand and support the children, and explain their experiences to parents and school staff. But having lived experience can also present challenges. James used some of the training from the Peer Research to help him navigate how to position himself as both an insider and an outsider; using his own experience to build trust and understanding while making sure the interaction was all about the child in front of him.
Coming full circle
Not only does James have a rewarding job, which he is uniquely well placed to do, he also has a post-graduate degree under his belt. He feels positive about the future again, and knows just how much he has to give.
He has now come full circle and made a donation to Justlife. He keeps busy; among many other activities, he has joined a choir. The choir is located where his car was parked back when he had nowhere else to sleep. “It’s like I’ve come full circle”.
*The picture attached to this article is not of James, but from the Centre for Homelessness Impact*
