An autistic man who lived with the threat of homelessness for a year, says trying to navigate support systems caused him “an endless amount of anxiety”. It comes as research showed the needs of young, neurodivergent people in Wales are not being met by services designed for neurotypical minds. End Youth Homelessness Cymru (EYHC) said inaccessible information and inappropriate accommodation added to young people’s distress.
The Welsh government said it was “committed to tackling all forms of homelessness”. "It was like a mountain, I didn’t know where to start,” said Steven Lewkowicz. He faced eviction after leaving university and being left with no income and no other support.
The 25-year-old, who has ADHD and has struggled with his mental health since his teens, said trying to navigate the systems designed to help felt impossible. “Phone calls, emails, text messages have always been really big trouble for me. “I don’t know why but it makes my anxiety go into overdrive.
I’m like, ‘what wording do I use? Is it OK for me to send it?’ “It’s just endless amounts of anxiety,” he added. The former student said he was lucky he was able to access support from the homelessness charity, Llamau. Someone would remind him of appointments or go with him, which made “the whole process easier”.
Steven said some buildings where support services are accessed “may look big, beautiful and grand”, but to many neurodivergent people “that environment, that�.