‘From housing and health to learning and engagement’, Centrepoint isn’t just a quick fix and a bed to stay in. The UK based charity helps young people build better futures for themselves.
Thousands of youth across the country will go to sleep scared and hungry tonight, with last year 121,000 young people asking for help to get off the streets. There are numerous reasons why young people become homeless; family breakdowns, getting kicked out of school, mental health, crime, and more, and the effects of homelessness are drastic.
6 out of ten young people at Centrepoint left home because of arguments with family or being told to leave, with more than a third dealing with depression and anxiety. Centrepoint uses education and support to help young people to tackle these issues. Although the immediate fix is a place to stay, the long term goals are independence and sustainability within society.
Centrepoint aims to end homelessness by 2037. Although they understand that there are numerous reasons contributing to homelessness, meaning the threat of it can never be taken away, it is however possible to limit the number of young people facing crisis and make sure that there is a clear route out for those who find themselves in need.
Ending homelessness to Centrepoint would mean three things; a negligible amount of young people being made homeless, a quick solution to provide a safe space to live in when it happens, and lastly each young person moves from temporary accommodation into a permanent home when they are ready to live alone.
Meeting these three objectives will ensure homelessness is rare and brief and that no one has to sleep rough.
Young people supported by Centrepoint are able to stay with them for up to two years. 94 per cent of these young people have then moved into their own homes, reconnected with their families, got their first jobs, or gone to university.
Specifically in the lead up to Christmas, Centrepoint sets up hampers, presents, Christmas jumpers, Christmas dinners as well as a place to stay to make young people who are homeless feel included and special. Along with this, they offer other donation packages ranging from £10 to £1,500 to help in all areas of life, from studying to furniture, health checks to laptops.
Find out more about how to get support, or how you can help, on the Centrepoint Website
