Homelessness: young woman tells of 'sofa surfing' as she highlights a misconception around the issue in Northern Ireland
Arianna said she was forced to stay with friends for around a year
Last updated 3rd Dec 2024
A 23-year-old woman who became homeless in Belfast is urging everyone to spare a thought for those without a permanent home this Christmas.
It comes as charities in Northern Ireland are warning of a deepening crisis in homelessness with more than 58,000 - many of them young people - now homeless.
Downtown Radio & Cool FM are from today (Monday) - to mark Homelessness Awareness Week - running a series of stories to highlight the growing problem.
Arianna told us she was forced to stay with friends for around a year.
After her mum died, she moved in with her auntie, who then passed away from cancer.
She said she felt lost:
“My mental health was spiralling, whenever my auntie died my mental health was deteriorating.
“I had to move back in with my dad.
“He would have drank and it just wasn’t a good environment to be around.”
After her experience, she went to the doctor who referred her to a social worker.
Arianna was then referred to youth homeless charity MACS which supported her to find a flat and live independently.
She tells us there can be a misunderstanding around the issue:
“I always thought homelessness was someone lying on the street who didn’t have family and had turned to drugs.
“The situation I was in was nothing like that and that’s what homeless people are nearly portrayed as.
“It could happen to anyone.”
Arianna now has her own flat and is studying.
Her mental health has improved, and she is enjoying living independently.
CEO of charity MACS which helped her Kate Martin says they support around 700 young people per year:
“A lot of homelessness is invisible," she said.
“It is those young people who are moving between family members or friends’ sofas, it’s not necessarily what you imagine seeing people on the streets, that symbol of homelessness.”
The charity is hosting a sleepout fundraiser on Thursday, December, 5.
You can see more about charity MACS here