AN inspirational father from Hampshire who spent years homeless is now helping others going through the same thing.
Basingstoke and Deane came together to raise awareness of homelessness to mark World Homeless Day.
An event, held in Festival Place on Tuesday, October 10, shone a spotlight on the action that everyone can take together.
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Jamie Glasspool, 49, who lives in Southampton, became homeless at the age of 16, having grown up in care, and spent most of his life in and out of prison and battling drug addiction, before turning his life around in 2020.
He now works as a peer mentor for Outcome Home, a social enterprise which provides psychological support for those who are homeless.
Jamie said: "For me, it started off when I was very young with some mental health problems. It made me feel inadequate, insecure and I had a massive ego but no confidence.
"I had my first spell on the streets when I was just 16. I was either on the streets or in a hostel and pretty much I spent most of my life like that. It was like a revolving door and I was never getting the right support that I needed.”
He spends two days a week at The Camrose Centre, a drop-in centre for anyone who is sleeping rough, homeless or vulnerably housed within Basingstoke and Deane.
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He continued: "Through working with Outcome Home it's like working with the people I used to live on the streets with and that is my expertise, that is the thing I am good at because I understand.
"Part of what I do now is when I meet a peer I try to help them build up a bit of self-esteem."
James now has a 14-month-old son and lives with his partner, he said "It's amazing to have a family of his own".
The pop-up event, held in the unit next to Typo, was packed with information, advice and artwork created by those who’ve experienced homelessness.
Organisations including Home Group, Julian House, Two Saints, Citizens Advice Basingstoke and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council were among those on hand with advice and information.
The day was coordinated by the Basingstoke and Deane Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP), which brings together a range of specialist, voluntary, statutory, faith and community groups all working to reduce homelessness in the borough.
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Chair of the partnership Cllr Laura James said: “Nobody in our borough should have to sleep rough and the Social Inclusion Partnership is working hard to support those who have been and are threatened with homelessness.
"When people think of homelessness, they often think of people sleeping on the streets but there are also the hidden homeless who may be sofa surfing and those facing eviction with nowhere to go.
“The innovative approach taken by the partnership has helped people get help to address the complex issues that have led to them rough sleeping and rebuild their lives, with the number of people sleeping on the streets falling from 26 in 2016 to two in 2022."
The World Homeless Day event raised money for the relaunched Real Change not Loose Change campaign, which is fundraising for the reopening of the Winter Night Shelter.
The shelter provides a warm bed, a hot meal, friendly company and access to support services for anyone found sleeping on the streets.
It will reopen at venues across the borough from Friday, December 1 until the end of February 2024.
To find out more and to donate, visit justgiving.com/campaign/realchangeappeal.
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