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Mal was unemployed when we first met him and over the course of the project continued to be in receipt of social security benefits, of one kind or another. He completed a couple of New Deal training placements, and enrolled on FE courses to improve his chances of full time employment in the business or administration sector. He also worked casual hours at an entertainment centre over the years and valued the relative consistency of this work. As a young gay man, Mal believed that potential employers discriminated against him, not wanting a male administrator. Mal returned from England to Northern Ireland with his family when he was a teenager, and spent time trying to fit in. Coming out as gay in his late teens in a rural area was not easy, his father was particularly disappointed. He moved into the centre of town for a short period. Independent living was not easy for him, practically or financially, and he soon moved home again. Mal has suffered a couple of homophobic assaults, and has felt vulnerable as a gay man at times. While he was very much embedded within the local gay scene, in his early 20s he was beginning to feel too old for it, and often talked about moving to other cities. While enjoying a number of casual relationships, he also invested a lot of emotional energy in friendships and relationships, some of which developed through internet sites. At last interview, Mal hoped to return to education and follow a career in business.
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