A safe home is a basic human right, something which we take for granted every day!
It’s a place where we can retreat to at the end of a long day to rest.
Feeling safe at home gives us the building block to go out into the world and thrive.
But for Robert, a 70 year old retired tradesman and carer from Cleland, North Lanarkshire, a safe home is something that was taken away from him.
Robert had worked in the construction industry for most of his life until he transitioned to being a care worker in his 60s. Throughout his life he also supported his son who has severe autism, and lived close by.
Due to a foot operation that sidelined him for 18 months, Robert then had to stop working. This period was marked by uncertainty about his future employment prospects and he was unsure what to do next.
Robert connected with Routes To Work because of a flyer he received through his door, as part of the work within the SPF31 Place Based Project. After contacting them, he was put in touch with case worker Sharon.
She assisted Robert in exploring his employment options, considering his medical condition and the uncertainty surrounding his next operation.
“When Robert first reached out, he was unsure of what his next steps with work would look like and how he could get back into work,” explains Sharon.
“He felt that employers would not want to work with him knowing he had a future operation on the horizon.
“We reviewed options with him and contacted the Secretary of his Consultant who advised there was at least a further 12 month period until his operation, where he could consider work.
“Having enjoyed working in care, there was a vacancy with his previous employer, which we successfully applied for.”
Routes to Work had helped him with job applications, including a particularly rigorous one that required 50 years of work history to be shown before the interview. And Robert managed to get back into the workplace as a carer before his foot operation.
Robert’s living situation then took a turn for the worse when he started having issues with a neighbour who exhibited extreme anti-social and abusive behaviour. Sharon’s focus had to change, to consider his housing situation.
He had lived in the property for 40 years and had bought it outright from the council.
“I was getting problems in the building. She caused a lot of bother, not just for me, but for everybody around the block,” Robert said.
“She smashed all my windows, smashed my motor! Twice she did that”, Robert recalls.
Despite being effectively forced from his own home, housing officials initially refused to accept that Robert was homeless.
Eventually, the council accepted that Robert had to leave property he worked so hard to own, into emergency accommodation for his safety.
“It was sad to leave it,” he explains.
“Although I’m in a better place now, it was still my home for 40 years, and I had to leave because of somebody else.”
When Robert was offered a more permanent solution to emergency accommodation, it was situated far away from his work and son.
At this point Sharon worked tirelessly to advocate for a living arrangement that would work for Robert’s circumstances.
Sharon described the process: “We arranged for Robert to go along to Citizens Advice who have housing lawyers available to get him some support and guidance as well as speaking to a local MP.
“After eventually being able to speak to the allocations officers face to face, within an hour, Robert had a housing offer which was 100 yards away from where his son lives.”
This proximity allowed him to continue being an essential support figure in his son’s life.
“David’s a handful, but he knows how to behave in front of me,” Robert smiles.
“Without Sharon, I wouldn’t have been able to move or even have the job that I had. I’ve nothing but good words for them!”
Today, Robert is settled in his new home, close to his son, and has a stable living situation. Reflecting on his journey, Robert appreciates the comprehensive support he received from Routes To Work.
For Sharon it’s important to recognise that Routes To Work is about far more than work.
“The myth is that Routes to Work is about CVs and getting jobs,” she said.
“There’s so much more to how we can connect with other services and provide support.”