No one knows better than Vicki Dickson how low a single parent on the run can get in a strange place.
Fleeing after being attacked while pregnant, Vicki arrived in Brighton with no money, job or home.
Thanks to the Brighton Unemployed Centre Families' Project, she has got her life back.
This project in Tilbury Place is run by people who have often been through the same experiences as those they are trying to help.
The centre provided basic help such as laundry and baby minding and also gave her the confidence to do courses in first aid and childcare.
She met other parents with similar problems. That helped.
Vicki hopes to get her childcare qualification and follow that with a job. She is also giving something back to the project by running the toy library.
She has a proper home and her child is starting school. Others have given her support but she has had the confidence to do the important bits herself.
Without the support of this project, who knows what would have happened to Vicki or to many others like her?
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article