YMCA Launches National Youth Homelessness Scheme

YMCA England has teamed up with UK homelessness charity Centrepoint to deliver a National Youth Homelessness scheme.

The charity will help to reduce the UK's youth homelessness problem over the next 12 months.

The project has secured £1million funding from the Government and it will include the development of a network of supported lodgings schemes across England.

Young people will be ensured to have access to the lodgings and provide short-term respite support through the scheme, as they will be given a place to stay while they work through their problems.

More than a third of new cases of homelessness last year were young people aged under 25.

Mike Fleming, YMCA England director of operations, said: "YMCA England and Centrepoint put themselves for the project just before Christmas and will lead it, with voluntary sector input, over the next 12 months.

"We are a service delivery organisation. We do canvassing and lobbying but most of our work is lobbying specific issues. We have 140 local YMCA associations who deliver services to young people and also provide support."

YMCA England will focus on the early intervention and prevention aspects of youth homelessness.

Centrepoint will focus on accessible needs and deal with the communication and dissemination of the project. The organisation will be holding seminars and involving young people in the project.

Mr Fleming added: "This is a fairly unique partnership. This is an area of work we know really well. We only put ourselves forward at specific times and that's when we feel we can make a significant contribution."