Aoife and Sarah’s Story

How we helped Aoife and Sarah

Aoife contacted North West Simon Community after months of trying to find a home for herself and Sarah. Here Aoife describes some of the challenges she faced and the support provided by Lorna, our Housing Information and Tenancy Support worker.

“It was so hard to get private rented accommodation in the town, they only wanted students or workers. The amount of houses that I seen and I would tell Sarah if it’s meant for us it won’t pass us by.

But Lorna is so good, she helped me so much filling out forms and I never felt judged by her. In the public offices, you’re sitting there in front of everyone telling them your story and its embarrassing. Everyone else in the room is listening to you and what you’re going through. When I was with Lorna there was no one else listening and I felt like she heard me properly.

She helped me with CV’s to look for a job, and references to help me find my place. She was the moral support I needed. She helped me find furniture and everything. She fought for me and gave me practical help, always printing off stuff for me. You get so sick of paperwork coz there is so much and without her I don’t know whether I would have got through everything.

She was like my crutch. If Simon wasn’t here I don’t know what I would have done, to be honest with ya and Lorna has helped me with vouchers and stuff and food vouchers and everything. I was so thankful to see them, so yeh Lorna is great, Simon is great. I felt so much better after the first time I came here to Simon.