| Description | An interview with Jono Scott-Shiels, a single man with no children, who is a Part-time youth worker, born in Birmingham and now living in Birmingham. Jono Scott-Shiels’s father was a unknown, born in Pakistan and his mother a Housewife born in England. In the interview, he talks about …
'MS2255/2/133 SCOTT-SHIELS, Jono, logged by Azma Shain
01
Track Skips
02
I’m Jono Scott-Shiels, 27 years old, born and bred in Birmingham. Life started bad from the age of 12 days old when I was fostered from birth due to mother being unable to cope with us, being schizophrenic. Father not around. That was in 1973.
30” 1977 Adopted by foster parents
48” Only connection with older brother is that they were born in the same hospital, Hagley Road.
1.01 Lived in Great Barr until he was 7 years old. At school racist comments - peanut butter kid.
1.30 Felt picked on the whole time. Did not know about family background, mother white and father Asian.
2.00 Moved to Solihull in 1980. Talks about primary school, found it difficult to settle in.
2.38 Meeting with staff and parents about going to special secondary school. Made grades to go to normal secondary school, had support from parents.
3.45 In bottom classes, brother was also in same school.
03
00” Options chosen - humanities, typing, maths and English.
40” Parents split up- father still lived in the house with the new step-dad and mother. Parents would argue, the men in the house would fight.
04
New baby on the way- difficult to come to terms with.
26” Was the black sheep of the family. Fights with brother, blamed for dropping baby when he was not in the room.
1.09 I was always the one that got the blame for everything.
05
Short track - upset because he got the blame.
06
Short track - grand parents turned against him.
05” More pocket money would be given to his brothers.
07 Short track - Pocket money
08
Disc skips
09
05” Talks briefly about YTS (young persons training scheme) (more on YTS wages on track 10)
35” Construction science placement for a while but was not tall enough at the time.
1.20 Went in to catering,
1.35 Still got a friend from the placement now 12 years later.
2.02 Was kicked out of the house by mother because she thought he was stealing things which his father had brought.
2.40 Talks about moving in with father.
3.26 Having bad nightmares, sleeping pills did not help
3.55 Abused freedom given to him by father and step mother. Would not call home when planning to spend days away. Spent days sleeping in a tent.
10
Was dragged home by his brother.
23” Got a job in a bakery, did not like it. He felt used doing jobs that no one else would want to do. Would hide at home.
1.08 Was given no money at home, started stealing from step-mother’s purse and she decided she would not have him in the house anymore.
1.31 YTS wages £29.50, £60 or £70 week
2.05 Went back to YTS for about 3 weeks
3.01 Left home - walked towards Solihull, had nowhere to go and slept rough for 2 to 3 months on the streets, in fields, garages breaking in to cars to just sleep not steal. (more on track 11 about sleeping rough)
3.57 Talks more about living in the streets. No money – begging
4.44 Asked friend if he could have a shower at his house but was told it was a bad time to come in
11
Friend shouted to come back, of course he could have a shower. The family helped him find somewhere to live and took care of him for 2 to 3 months. They never asked for anything.
1.13 Got involved in church, everyone in the church gave him money, help and support.
3.29 Got a place in St. Basil’s hostel. Talks about hostel experience, friendly atmosphere but not happy. When people picked on him he felt it was for no reason just like his childhood.
3.50 Sleeping rough – did not care about himself.
4.15 Just walked the streets.
4.23 Now I would know where to come.
4.31 When I was 16/17 I did not know anything but I survived it.
4.40 Was blessed with how things happened. Thankful.
12
18” Learned that there were nice people out there.
46” Moved hostel, Handsworth. Got beaten up with snooker cue
1.22 Moved at the age of 18
1.33 Talks about hostels, can be lonely, good and bad times.
2.40 My life has been up and down.
2.43 Life improved in August 1998. Relationship did not work out with his girlfriend.
4.29 Decided to go to Blackpool.
4.32 A person can stay in a hostel for a year and then get a flat but did not stay in a hostel that long.
13
Moved to Shrewsbury, went to Scotland in 1995 and worked at Butlins for 9 months.
Talks about getting beaten up and working as a waiter.
3.08 Had contact with father. Mother not interested in a relationship.
3.33 Friendships where made through hostels.
3.49 I’m in St. Basil's Centre. Started college through scoop in the city centre.
14
Talks about big argument with girlfriend.
44” Took overdose, lost control, depression. Went to hospital friends and father became very supportive. Girlfriend also in Hospital
3.13 Most of the pain was from wanting to see mother. Talks about relationship
4.18 Hostel monitored behaviour, saw psychiatrist, unhelpful
4.40 Was on heroin and crack and lost a few friends from this.
15
19” Psychiatrist did not listen. Would have been happier in a psychiatric ward.
1.19 Went to a hostel in Aston, went to the badger centre for help
Talks about being in hospital.
2.58 Training course. Met ex-girlfriend but relationship did not work. Talks briefly about course being good.
4.45 Loss of a cousins
16
05” St Basil's has always helped. Everyone knew him
49” Has had his own flat for 2 years, went back to a previous employer and got a job.
1.29 Has worked for homeless organisations over the Christmas period.
1.50 Moved out of hostel
2.20 Went to Africa to do community work. Talks about beating drug habit, making new friends and feeling in control of his own life.
3.18 The people came from various backgrounds and worked together for 3 weeks, learning from each other.
3.55 Talks briefly about being abroad for the first time. Has made good friends, is still in contact with them
17
24” Has been working for Fairbridge the organisation who helped him since January. Trainee instructor who can relate to the young people from personal experience.
55” Back in touch with mother. Talks about gaining a new relationship with mother
1.40 Nominated for peoples’ choice award with the Daily Mirror.
2.52 talks about young people and the problems they might encounter.
3.36 More about relationship with mother.
18
Talks about Birmingham
It’s where I live and where I come from. Love football.
45” Much of the history is being demolished i.e. the Bullring
1.34 Second city, better than London. Birmingham is friendlier.
3.13 Talks about night-life, clubs, pubs.
19
06” Over the past ten years homelessness has become worse. More about homeless people and how the problem might be solved.
20
Disc skips
21
Views on immigration
30” Support other countries but not bring people over when the problems in England have not been solved.
1.23 Conflict is being caused because of the way people are being treated.
ENDS |