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AKT-OUTPOST

Self-Destruct Personality | AKTOutpost

This is an honest and compelling account from

someone who AKTOutpost have helped.

"AKT Outpost - Originally The Outpost Housing Project; this

organisation was established in 1995 in response to incidents of

homophobia and rejection of young people who were lesbian,

gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) and who subsequently found themselves living in intolerable circumstances or made homeless…”

I moved to Newcastle and spent a year living between friends houses, sofa to sofa; I didn’t have any stability in my life purely because I pushed people away, hurt people and wouldn’t let anyone get close. My life was going downhill, my mental and physical health were seriously affected by this; I was generally in bad place but in spring 2011 I was told to look at the Outpost website - I was told they may be able to help me and when I emailed them my circumstances their response was amazing, within a week I had an interview and assessment with the support workers and within three weeks of that they had me moved into their supported accommodation.

They took me shopping for essentials such food and toiletries. From there I had

regular meetings with my support worker, we built a support plan around my needs, which at the time I was adamant didn’t exist, I had serious problems with opening up or relating to any one. I would have 2-hour sessions where my support worker would talk and try to help me but for them I’m sure was like trying to draw blood from a stone. I was impossible.

I bottled feelings up, using alcohol and drugs to not so much make my problems go away, but if anything to get them out. I would run away from people, shout at them, punch wall and just generally hurt myself.

At the time I was on a self destruct war path which the Outpost staff could see me spiraling into and they stepped in offering me all the support I needed, they tried to get me meeting new people, doing college courses and getting involved in group meetings. I trust my support worker but at the time I didn’t want to, I almost refused to, but gradually over time I opened up more and more. Although the staff were doing an amazing job helping me along with my support plan, I was still hesitant and it took until September 2012 for me to make a few silly mistakes, get insanely drunk and hurt myself to realize how serious Outpost are about helping people, especially if it comes to something like self harm.

My support worker drove me to a walk in center outside of town to get stitched up because I was ashamed of what I’d done.

They staff go above and beyond anything I could ever have imagined, they helped me recover, checked up on me

and took me for doctor’s appointments because I was scared the doctors would be nasty to me when changing bandages and stitches. These are the defining moments I remember a breeze blowing through my mind and wiping out doubts and fears. The weeks after this I was able to open up to my support worker and help myself mend the pieces in my head that I had

broke. From here out I started going to more and more group activities and meetings, then started meeting up with other residents, making friends and really settle down to be myself.

My experiences with Outpost will never be forgot, the people I've met and the places I’ve been have helped become

me.

As well as full support and accommodation Outpost offer floating support and help with a whole range of issues.

They are more than just a charity.

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