Rochdale Connections Trust saves a life

Rochdale Connections Trust

A man tells Rochdale Online about how Rochdale Connections Trust helped bring him out of ‘a dark place’.

Ben* left his last employer on bad terms and lost several months wages as a result. This meant he fell into debt and could not manage financially. He became depressed, refusing to socialise or leave the house, and lost all motivation to find work.

Constant arguments between his partner put a strain on family relationships, which eventually led to Ben being asked to leave their home.

Ben went to his GP for help but the waiting list for the psychological services in the NHS was five months. He was then referred to Rochdale Connections Trust on the ESF Families Support Programme.

Ben said: “When I walked in they were so welcoming and it just seemed like the right place.”

Ben’s key worker encouraged him to try and socialise and attend open coffee mornings as a way of meeting new people. In addition to this, his advisor helped arrange temporary accommodation for him until family relationships improved.

He has attended courses to improve his confidence and employability skills and has now learnt to deal with social situations better.

“They were really friendly and brought me out of my depression. They gave me the positivity to find a new job which I now have, and I’m really enjoying it.”

Ben has now turned his life around and is back with his partner. He has recently started full-time employment as a Civil Enforcement Officer for NSL.

Ben continued: “It has changed my life massively. It brought me back from a place where I either wanted to kill myself or turn violent. It saved me.

“Everything has just changed - it was like a rollercoaster.”

* The man's name has been changed