From hostel to hostel 

“Horrible” is the word used by Miklos to summarise the last few years of his life. Miklos lost his job in the winter of 2015. Three months later, with no savings and no new job, he became homeless. He moved from hostel to hostel. “Three years gone, just like that,” he contemplates. Finally, with help from Crisis, at the start of 2019 Miklos entered the winter night shelters, with GrowTH being his third consecutive shelter. Miklos describes street life as “crazy” and was thankful for the rest he experienced in the shelters, as well as the good food and the conversations with volunteers.

A permanent job

During his stay at GrowTH, he secured a permanent job as a chef. With that came a stable income and the opportunity to enter the private rented sector. Fortunately, a room became available in the GrowTH move-on flats. It wasn’t long before Miklos was clutching the keys to his new home. When asked how he felt, he smiles and responds, “Cloud nine … it was unbelievable!” 

He continues, “The last two days [in the shelter] I was just … fed up … waiting, waiting, waiting for my own place, my own thing. I almost gave up and then something happened. Always last minute. Yeah that was very good and since then it is just getting better and better, you know?” 

Surviving 

Two months on and Miklos has made a real home of the space. His DJ turntable rests in the corner of the room;
incense burns and the room is covered with plants, books and trinkets he has rescued from various places. His perfectly polished boots are neatly aligned. When asked on his hopes for the future, Miklos states, “Just at the moment … surviving.” It may take a while for Miklos’ new-found stability to become a reality but he is grateful for new beginnings.