Written by adminPosted in StoriesDecember 6, 2011
I remember the first day I walked through the doors of Knocklee House. I was a broken man, very depressed, not knowing where I was going in life. I had lost everything to drink. I began telling my story to the staff and manager. As day by day passed by I found the help I needed was here. I began by attending AA meetings regularly. Gradually as time went by the fog began to lift and I started to feel at home there. For the first time in my life I was cooking and it made me feel great! After a few weeks my beautiful son came back into my life. Knocklee helped me so much putting that in place. I was able to have him as well as my partner and parents back. I cannot put it into words what this has meant to me. I started back playing my beloved football. The staff were instrumental in this, driving me to training sometimes twice a week. Gradually everything was falling back into place for me. But then I had an accident. My jaw was broken during a match. I felt ruined again. I feared for my bed in Knocklee as I had to go to Dublin for an operation. As soon as I returned to Tralee the manager assured me everything would be OK. Then she worked with me and my condition, even getting special food as I could not eat properly. Around this time I started to feel depressed again. I stopped talking I kept to myself and I was suffering. It wasn’t until the manager pulled me aside and talked to me it started to make sense and I needed to put myself first. I’ll never forget the feeling of relief after that. Then I was prescribed medication that I needed and it helped me and still does. Looking back I can see how far I have come. Yes, there were some blips along the way but people in Novas have always picked me up and helped to drive me on. I loved working in the garden putting up the greenhouse. What a laugh we all had! But most of all it was the help I will never forget. I have spent 6 months here now. I will soon start a new journey in my recovery but I will always carry Knocklee’s message with me. I know now I can talk about my problems and am not afraid no matter what happens in my life. To everyone who has helped – a really big ‘thank you’ for putting up with me! All I can say is it paid off!
Written by adminPosted in StoriesDecember 1, 2011
For a good while, I was in and out of homeless services. In 2003, I was living in a flat. I invited some lads over and they broke up my flat and slashed me with a vodka bottle. I had to get seven staples across the head.
The landlord told me I had to go. I was on probation at the time and the probation officer said, “What would you think about Tralee?” I said, “I don’t care, I just want to get out of here.” This was not the first time I had gotten injured because of drink and drugs. In the past, I overdosed nine times and I cut myself. I fell down stairs and I got in fights. I was in two serious car crashes, puncturing my brain, injuring my eye and my jawbone. My probation officer ended up getting me into Arlington Lodge. I stayed there about three and a half months. I got good help from the staff there and I ended up going to Liverpool playing soccer for the homeless. I had gotten into trouble in Tralee and I asked to move again, this time to Limerick.
Arlington Lodge helped me to move. That’s how I ended up getting into Bridgeland House. I loved it there. I got on well with all the residents and staff. I drank there every day, at first, and made another nuisance of myself there. I used to take prescription tablets and ecstasy and all different kinds of drugs as well. I got into trouble in Limerick too. I was up in court for drunk and disorderly. I felt that things were going bad. I sometimes blacked out and didn’t know what I was doing. I was afraid I’d badly hurt someone or myself. The staff arranged a month’s respite for me. I stayed off drink and drugs for a while and I moved to St. Patrick’s Hill which is a dry house.
I started doing some voluntary work in Bridgeland House, cleaning and kitchen work mostly. I did that for over a year. It kept me busy and sober. I felt good after a day’s work. I started to feel more confident. Management offered me a chance
to be interviewed for locum work. I felt great. I passed my interview and did locum work for another year or so. A night safety attendant job then became available. I got this job and was absolutely delighted. I’ve been in this job for two years now. I love my job, working with residents. With what I’ve been through and the help that I’ve got, I like giving something back. I’m living in my own flat now. I never thought I’d see the day when I could be living on my own. Before, I couldn’t sit in my own space; I had to have drink or drugs. Now I don’t even think of that.
I got more help from Novas than any other place I’ve ever been in. People listened to me when I was having bad days. No one ever judged me. The amount of chances I got from Novas are more than I ever got anywhere else in my life. I think that only for Novas I wouldn’t be alive and well and I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Written by adminPosted in StoriesJune 25, 2011
Letter of appreciation from a person who was one of the first tenants in our new service in Thurles.
When I was first told I had got a room at 56 Mitchel Street I was happy but at the same time warey because of what people were saying about it. When I met the two managers on my 1st day, the first talk with them was they were extremely friendly and made me very welcome . When I first walked into the house I knew all the negative talk about this house was all false the house was very clean and homely and it felt like a home away from home. The facilities were very good , everything you needed was provided. 56 Mitchel Street was not just a place to sleep, it was much more that that, it helps you improve any life skills you need and you learn a lot.
After a few days in the house I was settled in and it felt comfortable and safe in the house. There were so many benefits in staying at 56 Mitchel Street , you felt , safe, welcome, wanted and a part of a big family. The staff were amazing in the house they were always looking out for your best interests and were always making sure your safe and if you had any worries they were always there to listen to you if you needed to talk. Day or night the staff were always there for you and I found that very reasuring.
Now I am moving on to my own apartment and I feel really confident in living on my own. The staff have thought me everything I need to know about budgeting and paying rent and basic life skills. I am of course very sad to be leaving but I now feel I am totally ready to move on and I feel that somebody else can benefit from my place in 56 Mitchel Street. The staff have been very supportive in my decision to move out and supported me a lot. The staff in 56 Mitchel street are amazing people and have become more than just staff to me, I would count them as friends , friends that have changed my life for the best and Im sincerely grateful to everyone of them.
Written by adminPosted in StoriesJune 19, 2011
I first contacted Intensive Family Support myself in February 2008. I was living in a large council housing estate at the time. I was having problems with anti-social behaviour and my house was vandalised by youths.
I was also coming to terms with my own difficulties around addiction, loss, bereavement and me placing my two children in voluntary foster care.
Novas helped me to find emergency accommodation and from there I moved to Novas emergency family accommodation for the last three months. This was to help me change my environment and dwellings. I am now moving into my own three bedroom house in a private housing area with my children and I am hoping to return to employment when my children return to school in September.
Being involved with Novas, I found they supported me with my housing, addiction and rebuilding my relationship with my children. The staff at Novas attended all my case conferences, children in care review meetings and court cases involving my children returning to my full time care.
They provided transport for my children from their foster home to school and on my access days with my children. Novas were always there for me giving me moral support and always listened to me both on good and bad days without judgement. Back in Feb 08, I was feeling trapped, embarrassed, frustrated and angry. Today I feel I have respect, recognition, and independence. If I had anything negative to say about the work and service Novas do and provide I would. I now have new goals and achievements.
