My name is Áine. I became homeless after leaving the Tusla aftercare program. I’d been in care since I was 15, and in that time, I had over 14 different placements. I never had stability. I never had a place that felt like home.

When I first arrived at Whitestown almost three years ago, I didn’t even unpack my bags. I told myself, “This won’t last long.” I was used to things falling apart.

But this time, it was different.

I met with the management team and was assigned a keyworker. Slowly, I started to settle in. I began attending mental health appointments and getting support with housing. Bit by bit, I started unpacking—not just my bags, but my life.

I found comfort in the little things: painting the garden, planting flowers, making art, having summer BBQs. For the first time in a long time, I felt like part of something. I felt safe. I gained confidence in myself.

NOVAS has shown me that there really is light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how dark life feels. I’ll never forget the kindness of the staff—their encouragement, patience, and belief in me.

If someone had told me when I first moved in that I’d be crying when it came time to leave, I would have laughed. But that’s exactly what’s happening now.

I’m about to move into a home of my own.

I closed myself off to the world at a young age to protect myself. But this experience has proven that I don’t have to anymore. I’ve learned how to trust again.

I can’t thank NOVAS—and people like you—enough for helping me get to where I am today.

My name is Angelina, and I’d like to share my story in the hope that it might help someone else experiencing homelessness. We had been renting a house for years when our landlord told us he was selling it. My children were only 9 and 5 at the time, and it was devastating to think about leaving our home. I immediately began looking for a new place to live, applying for every rental I could afford, and even some that were too expensive.

But there were very few properties available, and we weren’t offered any. I reached out to local politicians for help, but no one could help. Eventually, we had no choice but to present as homeless. I couldn’t believe it was happening. I cried every day, filled with worry about where we would end up. Just two days before we had to leave our home, NOVAS contacted me and said we could move into a hotel in the City Centre. It wasn’t ideal, but I was relieved to have somewhere to stay, especially since it was close enough for my kids to stay in their school.

Moving into the hotel was a huge adjustment. We went from a 3-bedroom house to a tiny room with three single beds. The only sink was a tiny one in the bathroom, where I had to wash the dishes. I couldn’t cook or do laundry, so I went to my mum’s house every day to wash our clothes and make meals to bring back to the room. Without her, I don’t know how we would have managed.

The hardest part was the lack of space. My kids couldn’t be themselves. They had nowhere to play or meet their friends. They had to eat and do homework on the bed, but they were so good about it, and it broke my heart to see them living that way. The room was so cramped that we couldn’t even pass each other without stepping into the bathroom or onto the bed. There was no-where to go for me to go for a cry in private, and I had to keep it together for their sake. There was no privacy at all, and as a parent, that was tough. While I love my kids, everyone needs their own space sometimes.

Our first Christmas in the hotel was really hard. There was no room for a tree, so I put up a few decorations and stickers on the windows. Visitors weren’t allowed in the hotel, and we’d been so used to having neighbours call in over Christmas in our house. We spent Christmas Day at my mum’s, and that was a nice break, but coming back to the hotel afterward reminded me of the reality of our situation. There was no space for the kids to play with their new toys, and they had to leave most of them in my mum’s house, which broke my heart. We stayed in that hotel for a year before being moved to a family hub, which was a little better. There was more space, and I could finally cook in a small kitchen.

Finally, after two years in temporary accommodation, NOVAS called to tell us we would be moving into one of their homes. It was the 19th of March, a date I’ll never forget. We got the keys on a Friday, which was also my daughter’s birthday, and I made sure we moved in that day to make it extra special. It was one of the happiest days of our lives—I’ve never seen my kids so excited.

Our new home is amazing. Apart from my children, it’s the best gift I’ve ever received. Every night, I thank God for our home. We have wonderful neighbours, my kids are back to having a normal childhood, and they even get to ride their bikes and invite friends over. When my son went back to school in September, he was thrilled to give his friends our new home address.

We’re all so excited for Christmas this year. We’re decorating the house with lights, and I’m cooking dinner for my mum and the rest of the family. The kids are insisting on putting the Christmas tree in the window so everyone can see it. I’m so grateful to NOVAS for everything they’ve done. They’ve been fantastic, and James my Tenant Engagement Manager always checks in to make sure everything is going well. That’s why I wanted to share my story. It’s been hard, but I’m proud of how we coped, and I want others to know that there is hope. If you’re in the same situation, hold on—take it day by day. There is a home for everyone, and you’ll get through it. Thank you to everyone who supports NOVAS, and for helping me and my children find our home.

Angelina.

“My name is David and I have been living in NOVAS Mitchel St Project since August 2023. Previous to this I had been homeless for over 3 years, couch surfing between friends and family. During that time my addiction and dependency on drugs increased and my mental health suffered too. I first met Lola when she belonged to someone else and I could see he was not taking care of her properly. She is a lovely Patterdale breed and I could tell she was miserable. I asked him could I look after her even though I had no home, but I could not leave her there. He agreed and since then Lola has become my forever companion. I was lucky she is such a quiet dog and so loyal that she could stay with me wherever I went.

When I moved into NOVAS at first she would stay with my brother at night and I would collect her first thing every morning. That was my routine for a while until NOVAS staff could see how much I missed her when she was gone. I asked the staff could Lola stay over one or two nights on a trial basis and from then on she got to stay with me full time. Lola is my best friend, she goes everywhere with me, to clinics, to appointments. I get up every morning to walk her and she has brought structure and focus to my life. I have to think about her when I am making any decisions good or bad. I am now very determined to get a home with a small garden just for the two of us. She has also become everyone’s friend in the project, staff and other clients love to pet her and give her treats.

I wish I had met Lola years ago as I feel I would not have gone down the road I have but now I feel any decision I make or action I do are positive ones.

She has been my lifesaver.”

Lisa Marie’s story

I started getting support from NOVAS approximately 10 years ago. Life was very tough back then. I was homeless with my partner and our four children; moving from hotel to hotel for nearly a year. My mental health was very poor and I started misusing street tablets to make me feel better. Finally, I ended up in 5B after trying to take my own life but the devil told me to go home. I can joke about it now but it felt like I was not good for anything or anyone. My children were open to social work and I could see no hope. This was not the life I wanted for my kids.

Around that time, I started working with NOVAS. They supported me with things such as referrals to counselling and parenting programmes, applying for different benefits, budgeting and also practical things like lifts. After a while, they helped us get a council house, somewhere to call a home.

Over the past few years, our lives have changed completely. We have a beautiful home, I am clean from drugs and when life gets tough I continue fighting because my children need me. We are now receiving tenancy sustainment support from NOVAS. My key-worker calls in once a week for a chat and she helps with different things.

We do not see NOVAS as an organisation, but like a part of our family. It is like my mother or a sister calling. I am so proud of myself and thankful to Novas for being with us every step of the way and for always going above and beyond. Everything is possible, you just need to open up and ask for support.

My name is Gulrasoul Tarakhel, I came to Ireland on the 18th of March 2009. When I first came to Bellevue, I was very nervous, everything was new for me and I didn’t speak any English at that time.

Pam was my first keyworker. She looked after me with all the cases and all the papers, how I was doing and how I was getting on with my school, education, everything. She was very good. Orla was my second key worker for the rest of my time in Bellevue. I’ll never forget one thing she said to me ‘look if you need anything or something makes you feel sad, if you need help for school, you can tell me’. She was great and helped me with everything during my time there.

We were a family in Bellevue, the other residents, the staff, we always had good times. I remember our first house holiday. At that time I didn’t know what a holiday looked like! We went to Galway, it was actually really great with all the other young people. There were some nice activities, swimming, restaurants and golf.

My three years in Bellevue were the best, all the help with school, homework, preparation for the future. What they did for all the young people, they helped build lives for people who had no parents. They gave me the confidence I didn’t know I had until I stepped out that door, they made me ready to face the world.

When I turned 18 I was still not finished school and I was allowed to stay in Bellevue until I had. I wanted to move to Waterford and the staff arranged it for me. They put all my stuff in the car and Robert came with me to the hostel.

That was five years ago and since then so much has happened. I got my status in 2014 which allowed me to work in Ireland and hopefully one day study. I was able to make the application for my two younger brothers in Afghanistan to come live in Ireland. Bellevue were there again and wrote me a letter for the Department of Justice saying I was a good person, a good character. That was a big help.

When it was time to meet them at the airport I was actually shaking, thinking oh my God I can’t believe I am going to see them again after all these years. I hardly remembered their faces after so much time had passed. When they arrived, I cried, hugged them and brought them home. We went for a meal together that night, I ordered them pizza because I knew they never had it before. Today they are good, they go to school, they have friends, they’re happy.

I’ll never forget what Bellevue did for me over the years. They have shown me how to be fearless in the face of adversity. It doesn’t matter how many years go by I will still remember all the staff did for me there.

Being a family of seven living in emergency accommodation was hard and cramped. My boys found it difficult because there was three of them in the same room and they have big age gaps between them. My partner and I shared a room with our two daughters. It was becoming a strain on our relationships and on us as a family because we had nowhere to go when we needed some space, there was no outdoor area and no visitors allowed, at times it felt like prison. However, we were at the time extremely grateful to have it. My oldest child was embarrassed about where he lived as we all were, but he took it the worst.

When we got the call about being put forward for by the Limerick Council for the NOVAS house we could not believe our luck. After three years in a two-bedroom apartment things began to get better when we met Sarah and went out to view the house. It was everything we could have wished for and more.

When Sarah graciously gave us the keys to the house all my five children started to cry. My seven-year-old said ‘wishes really do come true mam’. As a parent this was the best thing that could have happened. When I see them playing in our backyard it fills me with joy. Something that would not have happened without Sarah or NOVAS.

Now we are in our forever home in time for Christmas and each child and adult feel as if all our Christmases have come at once. We have never been so happy. We would like to thank Sarah from NOVAS Housing and Naomi from the NOVAS family support service from the bottom of our hearts for giving us our home, your time and resources and for giving us a chance and for helping our wishes come true.

My sons would also like to thank you because now they can have friends over (after Covid of course) and have some pride in their home. And lastly, thank you because I can finally have my parents over to our home for a cup of tea which means the world to us all, something we haven’t had for 3 years. You will never know how much this house (our forever home) means to us, how it has changed everything and how much stress has been lifted from us.

From myself, my partner and my children- Thank you.

Before I moved to my new home I lived in emergency accommodation for eight months.   I was in the middle of receiving chemotherapy treatment and had two children to care for.

In the emergency accommodation I received a lot of support from the staff but there was a lot of shouting, and noise and I found it very hard to sleep.  The children were also affected by this and they were scared most of the time.  I felt I could not control my children and found this very stressful.

When I was receiving treatment the staff were very good to me by looking after my children but I felt it was not my own home and I had to constantly remind my children that we needed to wait to move into a new home.  The children were sad living there as the noise was really bad which caused them to be anxious.  I felt I was in a prison, as my friends could not come and see me.  I was always sitting in the house.  I felt very stressed.  The only faces I seen were the staff and the children.  I use to cry in the middle of the night and did not sleep for many nights.

I could not paint or decorate my home and the children became very upset as they wanted to hang pictures because they love drawing and colouring.  It’s a prison and I found it very hard to live here.  I felt I had no address, no platform.   I missed my friends and the company.

When I first saw my home I felt it was a miracle.  The first thing I asked was if I could hang the children’s pictures up on the wall!  The children are very happy as they could now express themselves and show off their art by hanging their pictures on the wall.  The children can play outside and move around freely.  The children are so happy and they went crazy when they first saw their new home and they love their bedrooms.  They play in the back garden and we plan to buy a trampoline to play on.  My little boy loves gardening and now we have our own garden.  We plan to grow seeds and plant flowers.    I received a donation from NOVAS.  It was a TV which the children are very grateful for.  They have not watched TV for eight months because I was saving to buy furniture for a possible new home.  I was very happy to learn that my new home will be fully furnished.  This took so much stress away from me and my family.

I have also support from my support worker, Susan, who can help me out with different things.  My friends can come over and visit now, I’m not alone here.  I just introduced myself to my neighbours and they are really nice.  I have already planned to have friends to come visit my new home.  Now I have an address, somewhere to call home, somewhere my children can be happy and can express themselves.  This is my home, this is my address.  I can now sleep in peace.

The Abigail Centre is one of two dedicated female homeless services run by NOVAS in Dublin. Here one of our residents shares her experience of living there. It’s not always easy and sometimes poses challenges but there is always support and understanding:

I have been a child in care from as long as I can remember. I came into care from the age of 7 in Ireland. Being in care has been a very tough life for me. I was just moved around and around. I moved around from different foster homes to different foster homes.

For years there was no stability.

I had no say in where I was moved and when I was moved. I was a child and had no say in what was done. Finally, after been moved around foster homes there. I was moved from Drogheda to Navan and different counties finally to Dunleer and back to Drogheda.

When I turned 18, I became homeless. Not only were the hostels not suitable for me, I was picked on frequently. I always longed to have friends but it was all thrown back in my face. I always felt different because no one had the same skin colour as me and this always made me different.

I’m 21 now. Finally, I got to the Abigail Centre in February and I have been here since then. I have had many challenges here. I have also struggled here. I have had many failings and broken policies too but there is something positive that has come out of all the challenges I’ve faced and that is my interactions with the management staff. I was given a second chance and am grateful for it. I have had positive interactions with the project workers and all the staff. I am currently linked in with different services within the Abigail such as the in-house Psychotherapist. I have received support while being here and I am making progress, one step at a time.

While at the Abigail, I have already been assisted to get a place in Beauty Therapy college. My aim is to remain focused, finish my course, get my own accommodation, get a job and start life afresh. Stay Strong, Anonymous