Matt's story

 

Matt has been in and out of the criminal justice system for 14 years, having spent time inside for a number of violent offences.  When Matt was referred to Sova, he was failing to adhere to the terms of his court order and had very low levels of motivation. Despite being supported by friends and family, he felt resentful knowing that they couldn’t fully understand his situation.

 

On referral to the project, Matt met with Sova and together they completed an Initial assessment to try and get to the root of Matt’s on-going challenges.  Matt identified that he had numerous areas to progress, prompting Matt to disclose that he felt lost and overwhelmed and was struggling to know where to begin.

 

Together, they made an action plan so that each issue was addressed in a manageable way – focusing Matt on one thing at a time and celebrating the achievements he made at each stage. His first major achievement came when he successfully completed a benefits’ claim. Matt was able to access his full entitlement and quickly realised the benefit of engaging with Sova.

 

Matt revealed that he was determined not to fall back into a criminal lifestyle and they soon began to research potential careers. Due to Maria’s commitment and understanding, Matt’s motivation began to improve and soon he was given the opportunity to attend a five day course to gain a ‘Street Works Ticket’. Whilst initially sceptical that he would be able to get through the course, with Maria’s unfaltering belief he not only completed the course but gained positive feedback about his attendance and level of engagement.