In the UK, more and more young people are being pushed into homelessness by the lack of affordable housing. The Centrepoint databank reports that 15,000 young people in London are facing homelessness, with 122,000 16 to 24-year-olds across the UK either homeless or at risk of homelessness. The pandemic has resulted in an increase in young people sleeping rough with thousands of young people sofa surfing or sleeping on night buses to try and keep warm and stay safe. Despite a growing need, almost one-third of these young people did not get support from local authorities, with that figure only including those who enquired for help.

This is where Centrepoint, the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, comes in with an ambitious strategy to end youth homelessness by 2037: its independent living programme. Peckham is the latest site of development, which will be called Reuben House – named after the Reuben Foundation, who have supported the project with over £1 million to help the development become possible. Young homeless people can not only enjoy warmth and comfort, but also receive training and support from Centrepoint staff to help get them into apprenticeships or entry-level roles that lead to full-time employment across London and Manchester.

Reuben House is a product of a partnership Centrepoint established with construction company M-AR and will consist of 33 new modular homes for 33 individuals. Under the terms of the scheme, residents will pay one-third of their salary towards rent. The development has a modular build, which Martin Burse (Construction Director of M-AR) believes will ensure that the homes can be rolled out 40% quicker. This can be achieved through the overlap of units being assembled and fitted in a factory in Hull, while the site in Peckham is prepared before the two processes can be merged to finish the project. The production process began in October and will be completed by May, which is much faster than traditional construction methods, making this method of installation very time efficient. The units are also very sustainable because they are based on templates and models which means that any unused materials can be recycled and reused on other modular housing units to minimise waste and stop excess parts ending up in landfill. Each home is fitted with a kitchen, dining area, bathroom, and a living area for the young people to enjoy some downtime. They were also delivered to the site at Peckham with all electrics and plumbing already installed, and when I looked around it was clear that the modern décor inside would suit the tastes of the young residents.

Órla Constant, Relationships Director for Centrepoint, first got involved with Centrepoint as a voluntary fundraiser in Centrepoint’s inaugural gala and awards event at The Royal Albert Hall back in 2011, featuring global stars from their patron Prince William to tennis star Novak Djokovic, to famous actor Jude Law. She has three sons and was struck by the fact that it could have been her three boys on the streets in the cold, and there she discovered the importance of playing an effective role in tackling youth homelessness where family breakdown is responsible for 60% of all those affected.

On the project, she told me: “When I see 33 modular homes, I see 33 bright young futures. I’ve learnt in the pandemic how incredible our young people are and how resilient they can be. Being born into disadvantaged backgrounds should not be a barrier for our young people.” She also highlighted that it’s important that we address the common misconceptions around the homeless through talking to our homeless people more as well as putting pressure on political stakeholders to take more action. “The pandemic was a very important trigger period to show homelessness can be tackled and that the government can help to get the homeless off the streets. There’s no reason why we can’t work hard to make that the case all the time.”

I also had the opportunity to speak to Katelin, 19, who is a resident in one of the programme’s East London accommodations. She was so grateful for the support she had received from Centrepoint which had helped her to get her driving license and given her the ambition to pursue a degree in Midwifery. She has loved living with other young people from different backgrounds and stated: “It’s a real sense of community. It’s hard to explain… it just feels like home for me.”

You can help to support Centrepoint as a charity by following the link below to donate to the vital work they are doing to help take young people off the street and give them hope for a brighter future.

To donate, click here:  Support homeless young people | Centrepoint

You can also find out more about the different services they offer by heading over to their website at www.centrepoint.org.uk .

 

Special thanks to the following for making this article possible:

  • Jadan Dunkley, my PA
  • Billy Harding, Policy & Research Manager at Centrepoint
  • Martin Burse, Construction Director of M-AR
  • Órla Constant, Relationships Director for Centrepoint
  • Katelin, Young Resident in one of Centrepoint’s Independent Living Programmes