Every young person needs a place to call home and the right support and opportunities so that they can flourish and achieve their potential.
We work in partnership with local authorities across London to address the needs of young people through a mix of community-based and accommodation-based services. Young people are referred to our services by the London boroughs of Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham and Greenwich.
We have more than 200 accommodation bed spaces for young people and in 2019-2020 we supported 432 young people who were either homeless or leaving care, through services ranging from high support to semi-independent living.
These services include a large supported accommodation service operating across 12 buildings in Royal Borough of Greenwich, providing a safe and nurturing environment for 105 young people at a critical time in their lives. Meanwhile, our community-based Floating Support service in the borough supports 100 young people at any one time where they may be placed or living. This service helps young people who may be vulnerable or at risk of homelessness so that they can build and maintain their wellbeing and independence.
We work with young people facing a range of challenges. Some have experienced family breakdown, abuse or domestic violence, and may not have had positive relationships or role models. Many are leaving care. Our flexible, wrap around support model is designed to meet all levels of need, from short-term interventions and housing-related support to supporting young people with complex needs, poor mental health and substance use. Our longer-term work provides support to young people for anything up to two years and includes identifying routes for move on so that clients can take their final steps to independence.
Personalised plans for every young person set out how they can progress and manage themselves through a wide range of needs, from housing and tenancy sustainment and practical living skills to accessing education, training and employment opportunities. Where required, our support workers also help young people access specialist services, such as mental health services, disability support and substance use treatment.
“The relationship with my mum was really bad and for a whole year I was living at a friend’s house and sharing a bed with her. Moving to Creekside Foyer gave me the space and independence that I needed to feel like I had control over my life again.” - Leyla
Spot purchased services
Meeting the complexity of support needs among vulnerable young people requires an agile and flexible approach to delivering services. The needs of a young person still affected by the consequences of previous trauma may fluctuate at any time, and local authorities may not have suitable provision available locally at the time it is needed. Providing personalised support packages for those placed with us on a ‘spot purchase’ basis allows us to adapt our support to individuals as and when these needs arise.
As well as providing close support and a ‘sense of home’ to young people at a crucial time, our spot-purchased accommodation services in Camden, Waltham Forest and Islington can support young people who are ready to step down from high support services into semi-independent living.
Life skills and move on
Ultimately, our approach is all about ensuring that young people have the skills and confidence to make meaningful choices and shape their own futures. As well as providing a safe and secure environment to bring stability to their lives, we focus on supporting young people to develop trusting relationships, self-belief, life skills and vocational skills. This includes access to our Youth Focused Opportunities Programme. In 2019-20 our Soundhouse Project gave 757 young people the opportunity to express themselves through music, discovering and developing their talents, playing live gigs and getting hands on studio time with guidance from industry professionals.
With this comprehensive range of support tailored to their individual needs, in 2019-20 173 young people in our services reached a stage where they can move on to independent or semi-independent living.