Jim's Story

Meet Jim  

Jim is a Support Worker on P3’s Street Outreach team in Wolverhampton — and a bit of a local legend. Known and recognised right across the community, Jim has been with P3 Charity before it was even called P3. Joining back when the organisation was part of the Good Shepherd Trust in 2002, Jim has walked every step of the journey with us. Along the way, he’s also been a pivotal part of the journeys of countless people we’ve supported. 

Jim’s approach speaks to the heart of what P3 is all about – people-centred, no nonsense and non-judgmental. Jim says it how it is: “We all have bad days. Let’s forget about what happened yesterday and just start today fresh.” And the people supported by Jim love this about him. Drawing strength from his own experience with homelessness, Jim is able to understand the people he supports in a way that not everyone can. He reflects, “I have been on that journey, lucky enough to find P3 [for support and work] and see overtime how [the charity has] helped, not just the city, but the country. I like to think about the journey of how far we’ve come and what we’ll do to get people housed.” 

Today, Jim is taking us on a tour of Wolverhampton, showing us the places where people used to sleep and sharing the stories that shape the work we do. 

23 Years of Support  

With 23 years’ of experience delivering support, Jim is adored by colleagues and the local community. Walking through the city centre with him is almost impossible without being stopped by people wanting to chat, catch up or simply thank him for his support. 

Standing outside the P3 Wolverhampton Navigator, Jim is talking about his role in the Street Outreach Team, saying, “We work with people who have all kinds of [experiences], like all of us really – but at P3, we’re people who are always there for you, 24/7. I can’t promise we have all the answers, but we’re like the yellow pages: We may know somebody else who can help.” 

To start our tour, Jim takes us to an underpass not five minutes from the Navigator, showing us a doorway covered in water and rubbish. Jim says, “Over there by that doorway, we’ve seen a lot of people [rough sleeping]. When we [first find someone], it’s usually first thing in the morning, so we give them coffee and [try to] build that relationship.”  

He adds, “It’s all about trust and consistency… If you were sitting there – which sadly I have – and somebody comes up to you, you’re not just going to give your life story away. If someone comes up and offers you a coffee and takes it a step at a time, it builds that trust – something that this field is all about. Nine times out of ten, you might get the result you want, which is to help that person move on. And if you don’t, eventually when they’re ready [they come to you]. It’s not an overnight thing.”  

Jim explains that sometimes people don’t know what they’re looking for, which makes it even more challenging to access support. “It’s not just about the four walls, it’s about the whole package; it’s about lifestyle, it’s about friends, it’s about the way they view life”, Jim says. 

Now turning onto Wolverhampton’s high street, Jim points out another location where a P3 intervention took place. He smiles, “The people who were here are now in accommodation. One of the guys even popped in [to the Navigator] this morning.”  

Afterwards, Jim takes us through the main shopping centre, telling us how people experiencing homelessness often sit in there during the day to avoid the cold. As he is giving us this tour of the town, what’s known as a severe weather emergency protocol, or ‘SWEP’, has just been activated. Jim explains: “Every council across the country has the power to activate SWEP. It means that when the temperature gets below a certain level, the council [nominate a local homelessness service] to get the people into [emergency] housing. This year, P3 have taken over the SWEP sort of things, so that’s good… We’re always about the people.”  

As Jim is speaking, we hear shouts – “Hiya, Jim!” – from a group of people wanting to catch up with him about their situation and the harshness of the weather. Without thinking, Jim checks in on them and makes sure they have enough layers of clothing for the day ahead. We’d been told that Jim was loved amongst the community, but seeing it first hand through the warmth and smiles of the people he supports was something else.  

After we finish chatting to the group, Jim raises another point: “How do you fill your day when you’re in that situation? As you could see, they were in a doorway and, with the greatest respect, it’s hard to fill your day and stay positive.”  

He talks about how lucky he is that the people he works with consistently try their best to remain positive and hopeful for the future, even when it seems difficult. Jim goes onto say that P3’s hostels play a massive part in the wellbeing of the people we work alongside, being much more than just accommodation. He tells us how they provide cooking lessons, games and wellbeing support – positive steps for their future, but also meaningful activity to fill their day.  

He adds: “They learn so many skills that previously they hadn’t got. Because of [various circumstances], they may have been relying on somebody else. Things like cooking or paying the bills seem so simple to most people, but it’s not [always easy] for everyone.”  

As we leave the shopping centre, our talk has once again paused by somebody coming up to Jim for advice. Solution-focused, Jim asks the person to come down to the Navigator to find some accommodation for the night.  

Down the next street, Jim bumps into loads of people he knows, which he puts down to consistent support. Jim says, “I only know them because I keep spending time with them. There’s always a story… The people we work with are lovely people. I’m glad I get to see it.” He adds, “Getting to know people, walking the streets – I absolutely love it, the only thing I hate is the rain.”  

He tells us that most people he supports can cope with the cold, but it’s difficult to remain positive when you’re soaked through from the rain. From years of walking the streets in all types of great British weather, this is something Jim sees and has experienced first hand and is keen for us to understand.  

Next stop on our tour is via the main Wolverhampton bus station, followed by the train station – one of the local ‘hotspots’ for homelessness. Jim says, “It’s quite a popular place because you’ve got a lot of people going to the station who might be able to help.” Part of it, Jim explains, is about people regaining a sense of visibility within the local community.  

We stop by a place boarded up with cardboard, where someone was helped off the streets just that morning by P3’s Street Outreach Team. As Jim says, it can be complicated and complex to help people into safe and secure housing, especially if they have a dog, as the gentleman helped this morning did. Jim explains, “We do have dog-friendly places within P3 [but they are limited, so] the team are just waiting for the current [tenant] to move into long-term housing so we can move the person from this morning in.”  

He continues, “Sometimes we work with local shelters to temporarily hold animals while we find somewhere suitable for the owners, but a lot of people don’t want to give them up, you see – a Catch-22 situation… The animals play such a big part in their lives; sometimes they’re the only friends they’ve got.”  

We turn our conversation to stereotypes, particularly those surrounding homelessness and addiction. Jim believes that, as support workers, it’s vital to remain impartial: It’s not a support worker’s role to tell people what they should do, but to support them to make healthier choices that are right for them. 

He also points out that for people on the streets, giving up addiction is especially difficult: “Once you start that process [of getting clean] yourself, you can’t help but think about the people who you’ve met throughout that journey. People who may not be ready to move on [and get clean], and you’re faced with guilt.” Jim continues, explaining that some people experiencing addiction worry that getting clean means they’re leaving they’re friends behind, as often substance-use is what facilitated those friendships in the first instance. He says, “It’s not impossible, but it certainly is difficult to move on. Those people become your family; something I’ve noticed a lot over the years.”  

He adds: “Even those people who do have family, if they have addiction or other problems, they feel they can’t be around [their family] for fear of dealers or crime or something else altogether [putting them at risk]. It’s hard for everyone involved; it’s another Catch-22 situation.”  

We ask Jim why he often compares situations to Catch-22. He explains that, much like the novel the phrase comes from, many of the dilemmas faced by people experiencing homelessness are inescapable, with one problem inevitably creating another, trapping people in a bit of a cycle. 

He uses substance-misuse as an example, explaining how some people experiencing rough sleeping will turn to substances as a way of escaping their reality: “What you’ve got to realise is that if you’re unfortunate enough to be on the streets, you can’t just watch the rats running round without blanking out from it, whether that’s drugs or alcohol.” 

He says the relationship between homelessness and substance addiction is a perfect example of a Catch-22: “Maybe when you became homeless you didn’t have an addiction issue at the time… but you would start socialising [with people who did] and end up with an addiction issue by the mere fact of you being in that position. Even if it’s not an addiction so to speak, you may drink a bit more than usual to block out where you are. It’s escapism – as is crack, mamba and heroin.” 

Jim is a strong advocate for rethinking the way we respond to homelessness and substance misuse. He encourages people to move beyond assumptions and instead see the individual as separate to their circumstances. For Jim, meaningful change starts with understanding, recognising the complexity and often interconnected challenges people face. His empathy, respect and practical support for people is clear, and in turn their respect for him. 

Our conversation is wide-ranging, and we’re soon discussing the importance of locally-led, collaborative, cross-organisational support. Often, when P3 is supporting someone, we can rely on other services to help, either with working with the families or helping with serious mental ill-health. This multi-agency approach doesn’t only support the person with their immediate housing needs, but prepares them for a stable future and, in some cases, a return to family life.  

He continues, “There’s always a reason, always something that happened in someone’s life [to bring them to where they are today] – and that’s what people do forget. For every ten homeless people, there are ten different reasons why they are where they are.”  

We ended our interview by asking Jim if there was any advice he would give to people facing homelessness right now. He says, “It’s important to remember there are always options. It’s all about what you want to do… It’s all about your journey, we’re just here to help you along the way.”  

For Jim, these words are rooted in over two decades of working alongside people, listening without judgement and offering practical support to give people the potential to rebuild their lives. His unwavering commitment to ensuring that no one is ever defined by their circumstances has given so many people in Wolverhampton choice, dignity and another chance at life. So, if you happen to see Jim walking the streets of Wolverhampton, make sure to stop and say hello – he’d love to have a chat.