“I was so scared to leave him, he used to threaten that he would kill himself. I also had nowhere else to go, and I was afraid I would have to sleep on the streets. It was partly because of my fear of becoming homeless that I didn’t leave straight away. I was so frightened.”

Thankfully Amber was referred to YMCA where she was given the safe and supportive home she needed. Thanks to the generosity of Roomsponsors like you, she has received counselling to help her recover from the abuse she suffered.

“I now have the space to really heal so I can move forward with my life. I have started to make plans and the luxury of having a safe place gives me time to do it at my pace”
Amber has also been receiving support to overcome some of the obstacles she faces due to having autism. Amber’s key worker offers her practical support for some of the things she finds harder, such as making phone calls and managing her time.

Since moving to YMCA 6 months ago, Amber’s self-confidence has really grown. She is now doing a traineeship as a chef and is excited to share that she has been offered an apprenticeship to continue working towards her goal of becoming a chef.

“I feel this is a fantastic achievement as I am Autistic. My long term career goal is to be an established chef, possibly even head chef. This is something I’d be very proud to achieve.”

Thank you for supporting Amber to rebuild her life

*At Ambers request, we have used an actor in the photograph.