My name is Jess. I have been backwards and forwards from the Ferry Project for quite a long while now, since life has been really difficult.

I’ve lived on the streets for a long time, and met a lot of people who weren’t nice. Most of the people I met took advantage of me. Some of them would get me to shoplift or beg for them. Some sold me as a prostitute and then sold pictures of me. Some locked me in a shed and gave me heroin.

And even when people tried to help I never let them. I find it very hard to trust people. I can never be sure they’re not going to hurt me in some way.

When I was little my brother and father would abuse me. I don’t remember ever having
anyone there to look out for me, or anyone that I could really trust.

I was alone and no one was going to help me.

But then the Ferry Project did.

Some staff came to the shed I was living in… they could see I hadn’t eaten for a while, I was really cold and scared. They came back a number of times, so I could get to know them a bit better. They told me about the Ferry Project night shelter, and said I could stay there. I said no, then.

I spent two days thinking about it, though, because I wasn’t sure I could trust that they were telling the truth. But it was really, really cold and I was scared and ready to take a chance that they were.

When I got there the staff were really friendly and found me a place to sleep that wasn’t near other people. They were around all night just in case I needed them.

After that they took small steps to help me be able to trust them. I came back more and more often as it got colder outside, and staff were always there and talked to me about how things were going. They were very easy to talk to and I did get to know them, slowly. They always took things at my pace.

After a while, they gave me a tour of a room at the Ferry Project that I could stay in if I wanted. I agreed.

It has now been two years since then, and I am still living at the Ferry Project. Things are not perfect and won’t ever be perfect, but I’m grateful for all the help they have given me and for having a safe place to stay.