Oli’s mum had been unable to care for him due to poor mental health and consequently, he had been in the care system since the age of 11. Oli’s own mental health had deteriorated during this time, leading to poor relationships and aggressive behaviour. He was skipping college and was facing homelessness.
When Oli arrived at YMCA he was very quiet. He’d never lived by himself before and required a lot of support to develop basic independent living skills such as cooking, cleaning, budgeting, and getting along with others. YMCA supported Oli; helping him register with a GP and making sure he received mental health support from an in-house Counsellor. We worked with his college tutors to get him to re-engage with his course and our volunteers offered support to help him catch up on his missed work.

Oli has gradually adapted to independent living, learning new life skills with the help of our housing support team. He has also worked hard at securing an education for himself by studying on an evening and attending extra classes.
*At Oli’s request, we have used an actor in the photograph and video.
Read more of our case studies:
Hayden’s Journey to Independence
Hayden’s journey is a testament to the power of believing and the transformative impact of YMCA North Tyneside. His path to independence was not straightforward. After a swift shift in his home life, he found himself in need of a new living situation. It was his...
Case Study: Sam’s Story
As the weeks went on, Sam developed a bad temper and frequently lashed out at his grandma. He would come home at all hours of the morning, Sometimes going missing for days. Eventually, Sam’s grandma couldn’t deal with his behaviour any longer and asked him to leave....
Case Study: Nick’s Story
Just over a year ago, Nick was referred to YMCA by North Tyneside Council’s Housing Advice Team. “I had few skills at all when I arrived at YMCA and little confidence.” Nick needed practical support to give him more confidence and teach him how to live...
Case Study: Adam’s Story
“University just wasn’t going to be for me. The pressure of achieving, working to a deadline and generally being in that high pressure environment just isn’t good for me. I love making clothes, things that I can actually wear so I needed to find a way of making that...