“When Jayne came to the door on that Friday – it was life changing” | Latest news

Jayne Butler, Senior Housing Officer for Link Group Housing Services, was joined by Rankin McManus, a Link tenant, to discuss his journey to recovery and the support he received from Link and partners, hoping to inspire others to seek support during times of struggle.

Jayne already knew Rankin well, having previously been his Housing Officer, and they met again when Jayne attempted to gain access to Rankin’s property. While inability to contact Rankin had led the team to believe his property was abandoned, they discovered Rankin still lived in the flat, and he confided he had been struggling to maintain his home due to his alcohol addiction.

This was where Rankin asked for help and began working with Link to get his life back. Link Group Housing Services and Advice Service teams worked closely with Falkirk Council’s Homeless Prevention Team and Social Work to pull together a plan to decant, clear and clean the property and provide further support to assist Rankin in recovery and sustaining his tenancy. Orbis Protect and Link partner C~urb supported this plan with cleaning Rankin’s flat and carrying out repairs. Rankin has made sure to be actively involved in this plan not only through his active engagement with support and the work he continues to put in every day, but also through taking accountability and repaying costs such as those for the clear-out of his flat.

Jayne Butler said: “This has been an intensive piece of work for all parties, but seeing the difference in Rankin makes it worth it and really highlights the huge benefits that come from collaborative working.

“Rankin’s journey is still ongoing, but what he has achieved so far is outstanding, and I have every faith he will recover and successfully sustain his tenancy. It can be extremely daunting to reach out to someone and confront the barriers to recovery, but Rankin has shared his story to give hope to anyone struggling, reassuring them they are not alone, and there are people, like us, here to help.”

Adelle Brown, Rankin’s current Housing Officer, added: “I visit Rankin fortnightly to check in, and I am so proud of the progress he is making. He now goes days without any alcohol, he looks healthy, and his flat is starting to look like a proper home again.”

“His aim is to stop drinking altogether, improve his relationship with his family, clear his debt, and get back to work as a scaffolder. I truly believe he will achieve this, and watching him thrive makes my heart sing and my job as his Housing Officer so worthwhile. For anyone else out there going through a challenging time, please reach out to your Housing Officer as support is there; there will never be any judgement and we all genuinely care about our tenants.”

Watch the video to hear Rankin's story: