amelia’s story

When Amelia turned to akt, she was living with her parents who held strong religious beliefs, which prevented her from feeling safe to come out as lesbian.  

Amelia was concerned that her parents would disown her if they found out about her sexuality, leaving her homeless. She contacted akt to get support in finding a safe place to live, where she wouldn’t have to hide her identity. 

how akt supported amelia:

Amelia was overwhelmed when she first reached out to akt. She knew she needed to move out, but had never lived independently before, and thought navigating a tenancy would be daunting.   

Amelia was assigned a caseworker who sign-posted her to mental health services to help her deal with the feelings brought on by her situation at home. 

Amelia’s case worker made sure she was informed about the housing options available to her. Her case worker supported her in making housing referrals and setting up a universal credit claim so that she didn’t have to depend on her parents financially.  

Soon after her housing referrals were made, Amelia got accepted into a house share with four other tenants. In her house share, Amelia works with a support coordinator who helps her achieve her goals through monthly workshops and weekly meet-up sessions.  

Amelia now feels safe at home and has signed a tenancy agreement for 1 year. If needed, akt will be there to support her to secure longer-term accommodation after her tenancy ends. 

Amelia no longer feels like she needs to hide who she really is when she’s at home. She currently works part time in hospitality and is looking forward to her future.  

*Amelia’s name has been changed to protect her identity, but her story is real.