Michael Roberts Story

_{A Big Day - Mick gets the Keys for his flat}

my own place in the community

In 2002 following the breakdown of my long term relationship of 17 years, I did not cope well with the loss of my family unit which included my partner and three children. Unfortunately for me turning to drugs and alcohol seemed an easy way to try and cope.

At first it was just the alcohol, but over the following months I turned to crack cocaine and eventually heroin. In order to feed this habit I took up shop lifting and other petty crime. As my habit spiralled out of control I found myself in debt to local drug dealers which forced me to commit more crime and shop lifting which had the consequence of me being sent to prison for six months in 2009.

It is often said that in order to climb again you must get to the bottom first. For me this was my lowest point. However, with help from the prison service I was placed on a drug rehabilitation programme. As my sentence neared completion the prison service worked hard to find me accommodation as I was no longer allowed to stay in the Chester area because of a ten year ASBO I received on sentence.

Many hostels that the prison service approached refused to have me because of my past record and substance misuse. Fortunately for me the YMCA at Birkenhead were approached. Peter Cookson agreed to visit with me in prison to discuss my situation, and thankfully he agreed to me being taken in by the YMCA on the condition that I continued with my drug rehabilitation and attended key working session and life skills programme. I also soon found myself working to prepare me to live independently in my own place in the community.

Today I am currently still on a Methadone programme but I'm pleased to say that I have recently had this medication reduced – my next goal is that hopefully it will not be long before I cease to need this treatment at all. I've got stuck into everything that I have been asked to do and I am now about to move out of the YMCA into my own flat within the community. After some of the worst times of my life I will once again be living an independently.

I would like to say that the support and help I received from the YMCA has been paramount to me reaching my dream and even though I have now left they continue to give me help and support that I need to live successfully in the community and I know if I need help I can go to them and get advice and support.

I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all the staff at Birkenhead YMCA for their trust in me and all they have done for me during a difficult time in my life.

Mick Roberts