A dark-haired young boy standing before a garage with arms crossed, smiling. He is wearing a white T-shirt and two necklaces.

Young people

When a young person has nowhere safe to call home, it has a significant and long-term impact on their future.

This lack of stability and security can affect mental and physical health, disrupt education and employment prospects and increase the risk of exploitation and abuse. 

That isn’t fair and it isn’t right.

Everyone deserves a fair chance at life, with the right support and opportunities to flourish and achieve their potential.

Why does a young person become homeless?

  • Thousands of young people are pushed into homelessness each year due to family breakdowns, mental health issues, or escaping domestic or gang violence.
  • The high cost of housing in London, combined with reduced benefits for those under 25, leaves many young people with nowhere to turn.
  • Many of the young Londoners we support are care leavers who have faced early life traumas and need our help to become independent.
Supported 596 young people through our accommodation and community youth services
Over 80% of our young people experience a positive transition to more independent living

How do we help young people?

  • Supported accommodation services: We offer care leavers and homeless young people a safe and stable place to live. This goes beyond simply providing a roof over their heads. We offer a foundation where they can regroup, address their challenges, and make a fresh start.
  • In the community: We support young people in the community who have moved out of supported housing. We understand that journeys to independence are not linear, and social factors that push young people into homelessness do not disappear overnight.
  • Life skills: We work with our young people to rebuild broken relationships, boost confidence, improve social resilience and develop crucial life skills, such as financial literacy and home management. We want to ensure they can face future challenges and adversities head-on.
  • Education, employment, or training: Through our Achieving Potential programme, we help young people explore their interests and work towards their goals. We provide community activities, including music and art workshops and trips. These opportunities can lead to pursuing college courses, apprenticeships, and jobs, with support into employment.

We aim to build the confidence, skills, and resilience to overcome the challenges that our young people will continue to face as adults, such as managing a home, a job, relationships, and physical and emotional health and well-being. We help to shape a future beyond homelessness.