When Devon left prison, he was determined to turn his life around. But with nowhere to go, that determination was tested from the very start. He was forced to sleep rough in Oxford, pitching his tent in a wooded area by Donnington Bridge. “The night is bad. Yeah, because it can be wet, it can be raining, it can be cold… But I was in the armed forces, so I’ve been through that situation, so I know how to get myself in order.”
On the streets, survival meant finding odd jobs to pay for his meals and to keep himself occupied. “During the day, I tried to find work, for cash in hand, tried to help out, cut grass or something just to survive.” As time went on, Devon’s mental health began to suffer. “My mental health wasn’t great. It was all over the place. Sometimes I just don’t want to be around because I can’t get on the path where I want to be… So it was bad for me.”
Everything began to change when he met Barry, a support worker from Aspire. With Barry’s help, Devon was soon offered a place in their supported housing project in Oxford, where he spent the next two years. It was around this time that he found a job at a local recycling centre, where he’s steadily worked his way up – recently becoming area manager.
Through Aspire, Devon heard about the Personal Grants project, a new approach exploring how direct cash transfers can support people out of homelessness. Working with Barry, he applied for the Personal Grant, and that support allowed him to secure his own home: a one-bed flat near to his work.
Moving in meant starting from scratch. “When you get the property, it’s empty. There is nothing inside of it. No bed, nothing at all. The floor is raw, everything, so, that money helped to do flooring, furniture, stuff like that – what I really need.” The cash transfer also helped Devon to cover bills in advance, pay off his credit card debt and buy essentials like food.
Having the freedom to decide how to use the grant made a real difference. “Yeah, that meant a lot to me, because I have the control over it, and I know what I’m doing with it… That gives me my own control, and for me to get that grant, I have to use it properly, to help myself.”
With that support, Devon could finally begin creating a place to call home.
The impact on Devon’s life has been profound. “It changed my life a lot – 100%. I feel rich to have this home now, from where I was to now. Because if I was still sleeping rough and everything, I wouldn’t have something like this now. So I really appreciate everything what this project has done for us.”
Beyond material support, the grant also helped improve Devon’s mental wellbeing: “[The grant] helped me to move forward and push myself to help with my mental health as well. Because when you have your own space, it gives you more time to do things for you, what you couldn’t do [before].”
Looking ahead, Devon told us his plans for the future. “My hopes moving forward is to buy a property for myself and have my own business – [in] decorating. And do charity as well, try to help homeless people.”
“I would like to give back, and I would like to help… I got this help and it really worked out for me and I would like it to work out for others as well because I don’t believe people should be homeless. But it does happen, so if we can come together and make a change it would be nice.”
Reflecting on the journey from homelessness to a secure home, he says, “What do I think about my life now? I feel like I’m on top of the world, to tell you the truth, because from where I was to now, it’s a joy. It’s a joy for me to be where I am now, and I still want to go further with my life.” His perspective on the Personal Grants project is clear: “It changed my life, yeah. It did change my life.”
