Ngaire

For me, homelessness was more than just not having a home – it was a total loss of security. I
felt like my whole life had fallen apart. Every day was filled with uncertainty: not knowing where I’d be staying next, how long I could stay there or what would happen tomorrow. It was lonely, rightening, and exhausting.

You start to lose confidence in yourself and feel like people only see your circumstances rather than you as a person.

Once you become homeless, everything becomes harder: navigating services, finding somewhere safe to stay, trying to keep going day after day. In my experience, there’s not enough support before people reach crisis point. There isn’t enough permanent housing and people spend far too long moving between temporary places that never allow them to settle.

Mental health and addiction services are difficult to access and too often, services often work in isolation rather than together. When you’re already struggling, having to repeat your story over and over again can be overwhelming.

Homelessness affects every part of your life, not just where you sleep.

That’s why political leaders need to treat ending homelessness as a real priority.

That means building more affordable homes, reducing the time people spend in temporary accommodation, and ensuring support is available when people need it.

It also means listening to people with lived experience and giving us a voice in decisions – because we understand what homelessness is really like and what needs to change.

And change is urgent. Rising costs and a shortage of homes means more people than ever are at risk. Without action from our political leaders, more people will be pushed into crisis and suffer harm to their health, confidence and future. But homelessness isn’t impossible to solve. If government, charities and communities work together and invest in the right support, it can be prevented for many people.

I know change is possible.

Throughout my journey, I’ve met people who genuinely care and who didn’t give up on me when I was struggling. I know others who were once homeless and are now living independently and helping others. I now have a safe home of my own which is so much more than just a roof over my head. It is peace of mind, privacy, stability and the chance to focus on my future instead of just surviving. It allows me to look after my health, rebuild relationships and feel like I belong somewhere again.

All of this gives me hope – hope that we can build a Northern Ireland free from homelessness for everyone. Hope for a future where no one has to worry about where they will sleep tonight, where people get help before they lose their home, where people are treated with dignity instead of judgement and where everyone has the chance to rebuild their life.

A home should be something that everyone can count on, not something they have to fight for.

My question to political leaders is this: Will you commit to the action that is needed to build a Northern Ireland free from homelessness?

To learn more about the action we’re asking Northern Ireland’s political leaders to take, read our vision for a Northern Ireland free from homelessness.