‘It’s really chill here’
Kaz has been living at our supported accommodation for six months. ‘October, November, December…’ Kaz counts out the months on their fingers. ‘I’ve been here six months,’ they say with a smile. ‘That’s gone really fast!’
Before moving in, Kaz had already experienced a lot of instability. ‘I’d been in and out of being with social workers,’ they say, ‘because I had a lot of issues at home.’
Kaz moved between different places before arriving here. ‘I went into foster, went back to live with my nan, then came here because it just wasn’t working at my nan’s house,’ they say. ‘I wasn’t getting any help.’
It was Kaz’s social worker who helped them find the Cardinal Hume Centre. ‘My social worker found me this place,’ they say. ‘And I’ve been here since.’
For Kaz, what stands out most is the atmosphere. Life here feels calmer, more respectful and more settled than what they had experienced before.
‘When you’re at home, there’s always going to be someone nagging at you. Especially if you have siblings. But here it’s more friendly.’
That balance of support and independence has made a real difference.
‘They’re really supportive,’ Kaz explains. ‘If you have an appointment, the staff will come and remind you, like, “Oh, you’ve got this to do,” but they’ll give you your space. They’re not overbearing or anything.’
That sense of space matters.
‘The residents here are really nice,’ Kaz says. ‘They usually stick to their own business. Obviously, we have our own rooms, so it’s like we’re not always in each other’s faces.’
But there are still moments to come together, and for Kaz, it is those that help make the accommodation feel like home.
‘Residents’ meetings are fun,’ they say. ‘They feel homey.’
We’ll just hang out, just waffle!
Those meetings happen in the shared lounge and kitchen, but they are about much more than practical updates.
‘We’ll sit in the lounge, which is attached to the kitchen, and have the meeting there,’ Kaz says. ‘But we’ll get pizza and stuff, share it out, sit and talk around the table.’
It is structured, but relaxed. Supportive, but informal.
‘We’ll just hang out, just waffle,’ Kaz says. ‘And at the end of the meeting, it doesn’t feel like it’s been a meeting. It kind of feels like a productive hang out.’
Before coming to the Centre, Kaz had not always had the support they needed.
‘It was mainly to do with my diabetes because I wasn’t well looked after,’ they explain. ‘I didn’t really look after my body properly.’
Now, six months on, what Kaz values most is not just having somewhere safe to stay, but having space, stability and support that feels respectful.
‘It’s really chill here,’ they say. ‘It’s really nice.’