Centrepoint
Centrepoint works with homeless people between the ages of 16 and 25, mostly in London. The charity offers a range of secure accommodation, including emergency night shelters, independent flats and specialist mother and baby services. Around 800 young people every night receive shelter from Centrepoint.
Young people are offered the chance to tackle the issues that led them to become homeless and to improve their lives via counselling, accredited education programmes and life skills courses such as cooking and budgeting. They are also helped with opportunities to find work.
The Anglo American Group has supported a number of Centrepoint projects over the past four years, including the installation of a new shower facility at a night shelter in Soho and the establishment of a learning adviser post. Centrepoint’s learning adviser helps young people return to education and supports them in developing the skills necessary to gain long-term employment.
Most recently, funding from the Anglo American Group Foundation paid for the post of a part-time coordinator for a new project, the Rent Deposit Guarantee Scheme. The scheme provides a deposit (or a guarantee to cover costs in lieu of a deposit) in order to enable young people to move from Centrepoint’s supported accommodation into the private rental sector.
In the first few months of the scheme’s operation over £12,000 in rent deposit grants was distributed to young people and the service has clearly had a positive effect on the long-term well-being of previously homeless young people.
Success at this early stage of the project is a good sign and Centrepoint believes there will continue to be a demand for this kind of service. Support from partners such as the Anglo American Group Foundation can enable Centrepoint to meet this demand.
To find out more please visit www.centrepoint.org.uk/
Registered charity number: 292411
