Initially some students at City College Norwich had approached us because they had decided to raise some money to support homeless people in the city and wanted to find out the best way to do so. We were invited in to the college last month to talk to a group of young people on the re-engagement programme about homelessness. Our life skills co-ordinator Nicky went along with two of our clients Andy and John who talked about their experiences.
Our talk was well-received, and Andy and John’s stories about rough sleeping in Norwich prompted one of the students to write some poetry.
Here is one of her poems:
Look me in the eyes
It’s ok I won’t bite
I’m not contagious
Smile at me in the street,
It’s ok I don’t fight
I’m not contagious
If you desire, offer me a sandwich,
I am used to your pity,
I’m not contagious
If you aren’t in a rush, say hello,
I’m quite friendly,
I’m not contagious
Ignore the politics,
the statistics,
the countless idealist opinion that we are a race to be dismissed.
I am a human,
no disease to be resisted,
I am not contagious.
Click here to find out more about our Reality Check programme in schools