A man who suddenly found himself homeless after breaking up with his partner has found a new job and home thanks to the help of a charity.
Steve Shipman had to leave his home after a painful divorce and didn't have anyone he could stay with.
The 48-year-old was forced to sleep on the streets of Birmingham city centre and, as days went by, he couldn't see his way out of homelessness.
But thanks to charity Standing Tall, he has now bounced back and has found a new job, as well as a home he shares with his new girlfriend.
Today on World Homeless Day, Steve decided to share his story with The Mirror to raise awareness of the work promoted and carried out by Standing Tall.
The charity connects people who have experienced homelessness with hosts and businesses, to create safe homes and stable jobs.
Steve told The Mirror: "My partner and I broke up and I had to leave home, but I didn’t have anyone I could stay with.
"It came out of nowhere. Suddenly I had nowhere to stay and I found myself sleeping on the streets in Birmingham city centre.
"After the first night, I had to do it for another night. I couldn’t see my way out of it."
After sleeping on the streets for two weeks, someone told Steve about a night shelter in Digbeth, central Birmingham.
He felt "pleased" after being given a room, however he didn't feel safe and didn't want to stay there long-term as he says "everyone was drinking and on drugs".
The man then met Christy Acton, founder and CEO of Standing Tall, at a soup kitchen called Let's feed Brum, who asked him if he felt ready for a job.
Steve, who used to work as a plasterer, liked the idea of working in construction and was given a job at Lambe's in Birmingham.
Standing Tall then connected him with a host who offered him a place to stay.
Steve said: "Within a few weeks of working with Lambe's, Standing Tall matched me with my Amici Host and for the first time in ages I found myself being able to get a good night's sleep."
After working at Lambe's for three months, the man received his official contract and is now in line for a promotion.
He also has a new girlfriend and they share a house in a different part of Birmingham.
Steve said he is grateful for the help he received and says he has never looked back since.
He explained: "I'm in line for a promotion soon and hope to help mentor and manage other Standing Tall hires in the future.
"Standing Tall changed everything for me. They gave me a chance and I dread to think how things could have gone for me if I hadn't come across them when I did."
The charity says its candidates can transform their lives in just six months with the support of their host and employer.
Standing Tall adds that 80% of its candidates still thrive in the same job a year later.
Founder and CEO Christy Acton, who previously ran night shelters in Birmingham, said: "My own personal experience has shown me that there are people experiencing homelessness who are ready and willing to do what it takes to turn their situation around.
"The problem is, you can't get a safe home if you don't have a stable job - and it's almost impossible to get a stable job when you don't have a home."
M. Lambe Construction has already hired five employees through Standing Tall and they're committed to hiring 10% of their business with the charity over the next 5 years.
Shane Kiely, HR & Wellbeing at M. Lambe Construction Limited, said: "People committed to changing their lives can excel when given a chance; with the right support, these candidates can be extremely loyal and worth their weight in gold."
Tom Barber, Owner of The Barn at Berryfields, has built a more diverse team working with Standing Tall.
He said: "We're a standalone family business and Standing Tall helps us do what's within our power to contribute in a nice way to our local community.
"At the same time, we get access to people you wouldn't otherwise find on typical recruitment websites."
World Homeless Day is observed internationally on October 10. It aims to draw attention to the needs of people who experience homelessness and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in initiatives to respond to homelessness.
Crisis estimated that around 227,000 households across Britain were experiencing the worst forms of homelessness, including rough sleeping, sleeping in vans and sheds and being stuck in B&Bs, by the end of 2021.
However the charity says no official figure exists because homelessness is recorded differently in each nation and because many homeless people do not show up in official statistics at all.
