Skip Navigation

Personal Experiences

On The Streets - Janice's Story

08 March 2011

To the average shopper Janice looks like any other 18 year-old hanging out in the shops. She could be your sister, daughter, niece or grandchild, but while they have been going home to their families, food and a warm bed, Janice has been settling down at night in Belfast City Cemetery.

Janice is not a scrounger, alcoholic or a drug addict and until recently she held down a respectable job and lived with her family. The problem came when a family dispute forced her into homelessness like hundreds of other young people in Belfast.

"People who think there aren't any homeless people in Northern Ireland should go up to the cemetery or any park at night and they'd see plenty," she says. "Nobody wants to become homeless, there was just no way that I could go back home. People think because you're homeless you're a druggie or a hood, but you're not. You're just trying to get on with life without the things other people have to help them do it."

Squatting in a run down flat in West Belfast, Janice managed to continue with her job for a while, but when the squat fell through, so did the job.

"It broke my heart leaving it. I had to give all my bits and pieces to friends to look after and I ended up living on the street. I had nowhere else to go. It was terrible at the time and it was frightening because you don't know whether you're going to wake up the next morning or not. You eat when there's something to eat and wash when you get the chance. You can get used to anything."

As Autumn approached Janice got in touch with the Simon Community project on the Falls Road. Janice now works as a school cook and is taking an evening computer class and says her life has completely turned around.

"It was brilliant getting in here and knowing that you had somewhere to stay at night. I've been given support and advice and can plan what I am going to do with my life. Six months ago this would have been a dream. Now I've got a future and I'm looking forward to it."