// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Taking a survey in school saved me from homelessness
Emily now has her sights set on a career in politics and campaigning on LGBTQ+ issues
Something as innocuous as filling in a survey at school "changed the course" of Emily Mapley's life after her family was made homeless when she was 13.
Already being bullied and questioning her identity, she hid the fact she was sharing two rooms with six other family members for almost two years.
Then, a UK-first survey by Upstream Cymru led to the support she needed.
Based on a project in Australia that led to a 40% reduction in youth homelessness, it reached young people who may not have come across the radar of support services before.
Now, six years on, charity Llamau is warning a lack of long-term government support means Wales risks falling behind the rest of the UK.
Emily has gone from hiding in her room to meeting Prince William, and releasing original music
Emily, now 20, had a challenging start to her teenage years.
At the same time as being evicted from her home, she was navigating changes in her identity and coming out as transgender.
For 18 months, her family of seven - including her parents and young niece - lived in temporary accommodation, squeezed into just two rooms.