I knew help was there – I just needed to ask for it

Listen to her story by pressing play below:

After unexpectedly having to return to the UK after volunteering abroad, Helen was struggling to find a home.

Her only option was to stay with a friend – but only for four weeks.

“She didn’t really want me there. She gave me a month and I thought goodness me, how am I going to find somewhere to live in a month?”

For Helen, social housing was the only option, but it was a lot to handle: “The first thing I did was to submit a load of application forms. The whole process was stressful and overwhelming. It was terrible; some of the places nearby were really unsuitable. One I viewed made me feel claustrophobic.”

Helen had served in the RAF many years before and was aware of the welfare work the Royal Air Forces Association delivers. We had helped her before: “I knew you’d be able to help. Quite a few years ago I received some financial aid. This time it was welfare support that I needed.”

Previous support, her volunteering supporting people with social needs and her RAF training meant Helen knew how to try and cope with stressful situations: “I would break down the ‘bigger picture’ and list it into smaller tasks, striking them from the list one by one.”  But despite her training, Helen had also struggled on and off for years with emotional problems and needed extra support.

“I gave the RAF Association a call. I called them quite late in the day but still they rang me back within hours. I was very impressed and pleasantly surprised at the speed they got back me.”

After listening to Helen’s story, help began immediately. She was given the names of specialist housing organisations that could help. She was also paired up with an RAF Association Connections for Life volunteer from the charity’s telephone friendship service, to check in with her every week.

After a difficult time, Helen’s situation has improved.

“For me, what really helped was my befriender. I used to suffer quite badly from depression but the volunteer I’d talk to was just right for me – I couldn’t have asked for a better person. She listens to what I have to say and she’s very encouraging. And we could have a laugh too!

“It is good having a roof over your head. I was fortunate enough to find somewhere to live which ticks all my boxes. I’m living amongst people who I have things in common with, which made it easier to settle.

“I’m glad I turned to RAFA. It’s a great anchor to have.

“They have various departments such as housing, financial and welfare support that can specifically target where people need help.”

Helen describes herself as a ‘survivor’ and has always tried to push on. If it wasn’t for the RAF Association, she would have to follow alternative routes such as counselling but believes that would have taken much longer: “I really needed practical welfare support.”

Now she says to others: “Instead of trying to solve problems independently, just pick up the phone and ask for help. If the RAF Association can’t help you directly, they have information and contacts of other people who you can turn to.

“Although this house came up first, it was a RAFA referral that got me onto another waiting list for housing, which goes to show there are other agencies out there as a backup.”

This is a true story of one person’s experience. But their name has been changed and some of their details omitted to protect their identity.