As Rachel prepares to say goodbye to SFTS before returning to university, one guest’s story remains stuck in her mind: “There was this Ugandan lady, let’s call her B; she was in her sixties and had a heart condition. She finally chose to be repatriated – I guess she wanted to die in her home country – I helped raise funds to pay for her journey, and I went to the airport to see her off. I don’t know what happened in the end, but I’ve never forgotten her.
Londoner Rachel is full of energy, and her enthusiasm is infectious. No wonder that after joining as a volunteer in early 2011, she soon took on more responsibility, becoming a shift leader and a key worker, which meant closer attention to individual cases.
Having completed a B.A. in theology, Rachel found that her first jobs – mainly in administration – involved hardly any direct personal contact. After arriving at the shelter in early 2011, however, she developed a passion for working with people. “I learnt how to communicate, how to be patient, and I began to understand how people become homeless.
While she finds every case worrying, it’s the younger homeless that cause her particular concern: “I know that I myself am just three steps away from where they are.” Her experience at the shelter helped Rachel find employment as a social worker, which in turn has led to her decision to leave London and study full-time for an M.A. in Social Work.
Rachel likes to think that, even though work at the shelter can feel like fire-fighting, it offers an honest approach with no false promises, and – above all – a safe environment: “It’s a home.” What will she miss? “All the guests,” she says, “I got to know people well, and on their terms.