Tamika was homeless for 13 years, spending time in hostels and temporary accommodation, as well as sleeping rough. But everything changed when she met the St Mungo’s Housing First Team.
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Until 2011, I was living in Reading with my two young children. I had my own rented home, worked in security at local nightclubs, and despite a difficult childhood spent in care, I was building a life for myself.
Everything changed when I was sent to prison after defending myself during an assault. By the time I was released 18 months later, I had lost my home, my children were living with their grandmother, and I had nowhere to go.
Without my children living with me, I wasn’t considered a priority for housing. I also couldn’t return to my job in security because I lost my licence following my conviction. With nowhere to live and no way to rebuild my life, I found myself sleeping rough on the streets of Reading.
Homelessness became my reality for the next 13 years.
It was also during this time that I became addicted to drugs. I had lost everything, and they became a way of coping with the trauma of living on the streets.
Sleeping rough as a woman was frightening. I woke up to people shouting at me, stealing my belongings and, on one occasion, I was assaulted while I slept. Every day was about survival. I never felt safe, and I couldn’t imagine ever getting clean while I was still homeless.
I stayed in hostels and temporary accommodation over the years, but they never gave me the stability I needed. Everything changed when I met the St Mungo’s Housing First team.
They offered me something I hadn’t had for over a decade: a place to call home.
In February 2025, I moved into my own flat.
Before I moved in, my Housing First worker helped me access benefits, register with a GP and begin getting support for my addiction. Once I had my home, St Mungo’s helped me furnish it, manage my bills, deal with old debts and access healthcare I’d been putting off for years.
They also supported me with everyday things I struggled with because of my dyslexia, and ADHD, from reading my post to attending appointments.
But more than anything, they gave me someone I could trust. Someone who believed in me, stood by me and helped me believe that my life could be different.
Today, I’m more than 18 months sober from drugs and no longer need support from drug services. I’ve paid off most of my debts, reconnected with my family and recently visited my dad for the first time in 20 years.
I also have Bubbles, my dog, who brings so much joy to my life. I love waking up in my own bed, making a meal in my own kitchen and knowing I have a safe place to call home.
Looking ahead, I’d love to volunteer with organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness and addiction. One day, I hope to start my own charity and help others who find themselves where I once was.
Homelessness can happen to anyone. St Mungo’s didn’t just help me find somewhere to live – they helped me find myself again.
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