I was having trouble at home as my dad could not accept my sexuality. I am sixteen years old and originally from Jamaica although I have lived in Waltham Forest most of my life. I was just about to sit my GCSE's when I first got in contact with LGBT Jigsaw.

Before I found LGBT Jigsaw, one could say my life was awful but that would be putting it nicely. I thought the whole world looked down at me, well, really just for being gay. All I can say is that before I found LGBT Jigsaw I gave up and that's the honest truth.

Well, I was homeless so I kept going in to school really early and staying as late as I could. One morning I decided there must be help out there for young homeless gay teens.  After watching the episode of Eastender's that aired the night before, I thought that I should see if I could find any help online. I got onto Google typed in "homeless gay teens London" and found LGBT Jigsaw. Then I checked the site out and found out there was loads of support available.

It was difficult at first and I'm not sure I would have managed without the support of my worker. Social services were saying that they felt it was safe for me to go home even though my dad said I should be burned for being gay. My worker made sure social services took me seriously and I am now considered a looked-after child. I live with gay carers who are really supporting me and I have mentor and have just started at college.

LGBT Jigsaw gave me faith and hope when I had none and to me that's the best gift anyone could give. I now know who I am and where I'm going.  I would like to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH to the funder because without London Councils I would not have had a chance really, so thank you.  It's amazing because you're giving young people a chance to have a future.

Photography posed by a model.