Waiting, Resilience and Kindness: Rashid’s Journey Through Youth Homelessness in Coventry

For many young people, homelessness isn’t a single moment — it’s a period of waiting, uncertainty, and trying to hold things together while options slowly run out.

At Bardsley Youth Project, we support young people aged 16–25 across Coventry who are homeless, sofa surfing, or at risk of losing their accommodation. Some arrive and then leave knowing exactly what’s about to happen next. Others come back again and again, hoping for news, support, or simply somewhere safe to sit, chat and be for a while.

This case study shares Rashid’s story — not only the challenges he faced, but the resilience, kindness, and sense of community he showed along the way, even in incredibly difficult circumstances.

When Rashid first came to us, he told us that he would soon have to leave his accommodation with SERCO housing and needed to find his own home. At the time the government was processing asylum applications at a much quicker rate. While this might seem positive, a serious issue followed: once leave to remain was granted, individuals were given very short notice to leave their Home Office accommodation. With a rapid rise in those being made homeless, many if able bodies were deemed not in priority need and were simply told by the council to sort themselves out- becoming effectively street homeless. Because of the crisis, many of our local referral partners were full with waiting lists.

Working with those experiencing homelessness is never easy, but this was very emotionally difficult for the team, not being able to find somewhere young people to stay. We hate the thought of anyone having to sleep outside, especially after surviving so much already.

Rashid, a young refugee, came to us at a time of growing uncertainty. He knew he would soon have to leave his SERCO accommodation and needed to find somewhere else to live, but hostels and alternative housing were full, with long waiting lists. Rashid would often return to our sessions after sleeping rough, asking if we had heard anything. Unfortunately, we hadn’t. The only thing we can do in this situation is provide warm clothing, food, hygiene supplies and a sleeping bag to keep them going. To eat or drink anything warm, young people must come in the youth centre during the day, as they lack any heating facilities.

Programmes like our Nourish, Connect, Support Campaign, mean we can provide warm nutritious pre-prepared meals (currently from Wiltshire Farm Food) to young people in crisis. Where otherwise they might be reliant on no prep snack foods for several days or week's.

On 1st May, we finally received confirmation that he had been accepted into housing through the Coventry Foyer.

Since then, Rashid has been bringing his friends to see us so we can help them too. He doesn’t speak much English, but he is always smiling, and he will sit with other service users and staff, sharing a drink when he brings someone in. His resilience and kindness stand out in incredibly difficult circumstances.

Rashid’s story reminds us that progress doesn’t always come quickly. Before housing options open up, young people still need warmth, food, and a place where they are safe and welcome during the day. For those sleeping rough, even something as simple as a hot meal or a warm drink can make the difference between coping and giving up.

Through Bardsley Youth Project’s Nourish, Connect, Support campaign, we’re able to provide warm, nutritious meals to young people in crisis — helping them get through periods of extreme uncertainty when other options are closed off. It also gives us the chance to connect, check in, and keep walking alongside them until longer-term solutions become available. For just £5 a meal you can buy a meal for a young person like Rashid.

If you’d like to help make sure no young person has to go without food, warmth, or human connection during times like these, you can support the campaign here:👉 https://www.bardsleyyouth.org/donate-coventry-bardsley-fundraising-campaigns

And if you’re a young person who needs support — or you’re worried about someone else — you can find information about referrals and our services on our website.

Stories like Rashid’s don’t end at housing. They continue in the everyday moments of growth, resilience and support that happen when young people know they’re not facing things alone.