It’s hard to believe it has been 20 years since I first walked through the doors of Petrus as a support worker. I was nervous, determined, and completely unaware of how much the people I met would shape the way I see the world. Two decades on, I still feel privileged to be trusted to walk alongside people who are facing some of the toughest moments of their lives.
Homelessness has changed so much over that time. The scope of pressures people face today are more complex, and the systems there to support them are stretched in ways I couldn’t have imagined when I started. What hasn’t changed is my belief that homelessness is not inevitable. So many of the situations we see could be prevented with the right support at the right time.
When I joined Petrus, funding was more stable and collaboration between organisations felt easier. There was space to intervene early, to work together, and to build the kind of relationships that support people to stay safe and secure. Today, the landscape feels tougher. Years of austerity, a shortage of affordable housing, and rising demand has created a system that is struggling to keep up. Too often, services are forced to compete for limited resources when what we really need is to work side by side.
Despite all of this, I’ve never lost hope or determination. I’ve seen what is possible when communities are listened to, when services are properly funded, and when systems are flexible enough to meet people where they are. I’ve seen the impact of prevention and the quiet, often unseen work that stops a crisis before it happens. And I’ve witnessed the strength and resilience of the people who come through our doors every day.
My 20 years at Petrus have been full of moments that remind me why this work matters. Every person who finds stability, every crisis avoided, every step forward. These are the things that stay with me. They’re the reason I still believe we can create communities where everyone feels at home.
As I reflect on this milestone, I’m grateful to the people who have trusted Petrus with their lives and shared their personal, very challenging journeys, to colleagues I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside, and for the partners who share our belief that change is possible and strive with us to achieve it. I’m looking forward to the conversations ahead, including at our Open Day on 25 February, where we’ll be opening our doors to anyone who wants to learn more about what it’s like to have a career in homelessness.
Twenty years on, I still feel the same sense of purpose I felt on my first day and the same belief that, together, we can build something better.
Watch: Sonia reflects on 20 years working in homelessness
Find out more about our Open Day here