Fiona’s Story – Jericho Women’s House

Firstly I would like to thank Jericho for giving me the opportunity to share my experience. I would also like to thank Margaret and all the staff in Jericho house Shankland road for giving me my life and family back.

I arrived in Jericho 4 and a half years ago, my life before that was chaotic, stuck in drug addiction with no hope and no way out. My life was a mess, I was isolated and had lost all relationships with my family and I wanted to die.

I started the Jericho programme broken, very shut down, the heart and soul had been ripped out of me in my addiction and I was greeted with love and support. My key worker Stacy showed me nothing but love and patience and showed me it was ok to trust people. Through working with Stacy I started to get some confidence and started to look people in the eye and hold conversations, something I was not able to do before- hand.

Jericho helped me build up my self- esteem and self-worth and by participating in the Jericho plays my self- confidence grew. Jericho has shown me I am good enough and has given me the ability to live in society again.

After leaving Jericho I started volunteering which I loved. Margaret started to put trust in me and that felt amazing as I was never trusted with anything. I started to feel like I was part of society again. I started helping out with the drama which I absolutely loved as this is what really helped me become the person I am today. I just love seeing girls that come in just as broke and shut down as I was and start to get some confidence, it fills my spirit.

Then one day I  was asked if I would like a part time job, I was in disbelief. I couldn’t believe that I was getting offered a job in the place that is so close to my heart of course I accepted, I was finally turning into the independent  member of society I always dreamed to be.

I now have a full time position in Jericho and my dreams have come true. I have relationships with my family and it’s all thanks to Jericho for having belief in me. I continue to get support and now Stacey guides me through working skills and teaches me how to be a good worker. I will be forever grateful for Margaret and Jericho and hope I can help someone the way I was helped.