• THANK you for highlighting the all-too-often shocking conditions of staff working in support roles in the homelessness sector in your August 17 report.

Until I resigned in summer 2020, I worked in a support role with young homeless people in a residential unit run by a small national homelessness charity that will remain nameless here.

I was given no training and next to no support. Within two weeks I was lone-working and wholly responsible for the welfare of a building full of 12 highly vulnerable young people.

Over time I started to care quite deeply for some of the young people I was working with and many of the stressful and heart-breaking things that happened on shift were difficult to deal with.

I remember in particular an incident where one young person, who had significant addiction issues, stole a valuable electronic item that belonged to the charity and sold it so he could buy drugs.

He was such a lovely, kind, soul and was trying so hard to work through his issues. Ultimately, though, the addict in him was ruthless and beyond his control.

He returned to the hostel that night, filled with shame. I had fought tooth and nail, and had secured an agreement from senior management that he would not be served with an eviction notice, as would be the usual policy in the circumstances.

Despite this he was too embarrassed to stay and surrendered his room voluntarily. I will never forget the way he hugged me as he left.

My colleagues and I dealt with so many situations like this that were extremely difficult. One told me that he felt like he was “constantly on suicide watch” and resigned the next week.

The support we received was pitiful, and we did all this, for 40 hours a week, for a salary of under £19,000 a year.

So many homelessness charities do wonderful work; but they must not compromise on adequate pay and support for staff.

The fact that we care about others shouldn’t be taken to mean it’s OK for employers not to care about us. We can’t pour from an empty cup.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED, NW5