Jade’s Story - Finding Stability at 16

When Jade* arrived at Contact, she was 16 and home no longer felt like home. Her relationship with her mum had broken down after her mum’s new partner moved in, and things escalated quickly.

She came to us overwhelmed and unsure what would happen next.

What Jade needed first was stability. Contact gave her a safe place to live and the chance to pause, which helped her start thinking about the future again.

With support, Jade completed her GCSE’s and moved on to a BTEC course in Business Studies. Education hadn’t felt possible when everything at home was unpredictable. She made use of Contact’s Learning Hub, a quiet space for residents to study, revise for exams and work on coursework.

Money was another challenge. Living independently for the first time, she often found herself with an empty bank account and overdue payments. It was stressful and knocked her confidence.

With her Key Worker, she learned how to manage her money in a way that worked for her. They built a simple budget together and arranged realistic repayment plans. Step by step, she started to feel back in control.

Just as importantly, time and distance helped repair things with her mum. With less pressure and more maturity on both sides, their relationship improved. Eventually, Jade felt ready to move back home.

With the stability Contact provided, Jade could start to hope for her future.

Jade said: “Since being at Contact I have been able to have the peace I needed to study and finish my GCSEs. The staff have been so supportive and nurturing, it really does feel like I’m at home”.

* All names and identifying details have been changed to protect anonymity. Some stories combine experiences of more than one young person, but all details are based on real experiences during their time at Contact Hostel. Image is a model.