ALABARÉ receives further funding to support homeless young people

ALABARÉ is helping to make a house a home for more young people at risk of homelessness, through the latest round of the More Than a Roof grant funding programme, from Centrepoint and Nationwide.

A grant of £4,000 has been shared between clients aged between 16 and 21, many of whom have left the care system and, as a result, found themselves homeless.

The funding supports young people in purchasing items for their spaces within supported living accommodation in Wiltshire and Hampshire to feel more comfortable and personalised.

Items bought during the latest round of funding have included bedding, blankets, lights, mirrors, pictures and even onesies!

Once young people are ready to move into independent living, they can take their belongings with them, making the transition to their own place smoother.

The More Than a Roof grant programme has been funded by Nationwide and distributed by Centrepoint to a network of partner organisations, such as ALABARÉ.

In this second round of grants, there’s been £200,000 of funding available.

Lucy, who was supported by ALABARÉ in Andover, has previously received a More Than a Roof grant and said, “It made me feel more relaxed, more settled. It’s made my room feel more homely and more comfortable. I now don’t have to worry about buying more stuff for the future, too, so it’s definitely helped in that aspect.”

Spencer Whatmore is Head of Young People’s Services at ALABARÉ: “The More Than a Roof grants make an incredible difference to the young people within our supported living accommodation. Facing the risk of homelessness is a hugely stressful situation for anyone, but for the younger generation, that uncertainty, fear, and potential isolation can impact them for the rest of their adult lives.

“Giving young people the chance to choose the right items to make their journey with us more comfortable means there’s better engagement with their support workers, and they feel valued. As we continue to break the cycle of homelessness, it’s also great for the young people to have items they can take with them to kick-start their independence, with a sense of ownership and positivity.”

Lisa Waring, Head of Partnerships at Centrepoint, added, “For many young people in supported accommodation, the room they are given may be the first safe space they have ever had. Having the opportunity to put their own stamp on these spaces and make them homely can make a world of difference as they work towards rebuilding their lives.

“It has been fantastic to see the enormous difference the funding continues to make to the young people our partners support, and we look forward to helping more access this transformative grant. We cannot thank Nationwide enough for partnering with us and giving us the resources to extend this support beyond our services.”