Brian*, who is a resident of Peter McVerry Trust’s specialist youth service, is sitting his Leaving Cert this week.

He has been homeless since he turned 18 last year. He initially accessed homeless services on a night-by-night basis before securing a place in our youth service.

“I never guessed in a million years I would be homeless doing my Leaving Cert. Most of my school year was done homeless. But I never left. I stuck with it.

“The staff have been great. They offered me any equipment I needed and a study area. I refused all that because I’m so used to studying where I sleep. I didn’t want to change that around so I stuck to studying in my bed.

“I want to study computer applications. I do plan on returning to school but not straight away. I’ll do a PLC or go to college.

“By the end of September, I don’t want to be homeless. You don’t want to be homeless and not have a goal. My first goal is to finish school and move up in life one step at a time.”

*Name has been changed.