Unique fund to tackle youth homelessness

Being homeless can rob young people of the chance of a stable future, Frances Beecher warns, but a special initiative can help end the cycle of deprivation

In 2018 alone, over 100,000 young people got in touch with their local authorities because they were homeless, or at serious risk of being so.

But what does homelessness for young people mean? When people hear the label ‘homeless’ they think rough sleepers.

Homeless young people - typically - are not rough sleepers. They are often caught up in sofa surfing, relying on friends to put them up and not knowing where they will spend the next night means they are often on a frightening spiral away from safety, at risk of harm and exploitation.

They didn’t chose to be in their situation; a situation I would struggle to cope with now, let alone at such a young age. They are regular young people caught in a frightening and often dangerous situation.

As a result, their schooling is compromised. Even if they want to attend they don’t have the money for uniforms or the facilities to wash. Their life chances diminish and their opportunities to get qualifications, training, a job, a future are in danger of being lost.

So how do we turn things around and end the scourge of youth homelessness? It’s not rocket science: we must ensure young people have the right safety, security and support that most of us took for granted. This includes the opportunity of a job and a future.

End Youth Homelessness is a UK-wide movement of leading youth homelessness charities. Its mission is to end homelessness by helping homeless young people overcome inter-generational poverty and succeed in life.

The charity I work for, Llamau, is a founding member of End Youth Homelessness’ and works at the frontline of youth homelessness in Wales. For over thirty years, we have provided prevention, housing and support services.

We want young people to feel cared about, to have trusted support and somewhere safe to live, so they have the right environment to build up the skills and self-belief which enables them to learn and work and therefore achieve their full potential.

End Youth Homelessness’ Employability Fund, for which an appeal by BBC Radio 4 was launched by the actor Michael Sheen this week, is such an exciting opportunity, because it means young people facing homelessness can have the right support and opportunities to achieve that potential and to get a job, a life and a future.

The fund means that we can support young people to gain the right skills and experience, preparing them for the work environment. We can support employers to give young people the right opportunities. This will lead to real opportunities, real jobs and real ambition.

Together we can all make a difference and step up collectively to change the situation young people are in and ensure that all of our young people have the opportunity to live, learn and work and are not disadvantaged because they don’t have the family support most of us take for granted.

Young people are having to endure homelessness. Please let’s ensure through supporting this fund that they have the opportunities to take control of their own lives and look forward to a future filled with opportunities and potential

Frances Beecher is the CEO of Llamau. Wales leading homelessness cherty for young people and women and a founding Chair of Cymorth Cymru and End Youth Homelessness Cymru. Donate to the Employability Fund at eyh.org.uk/en/our-bbc-appeal