Homeless young people in Wiltshire boosted by £200k grant programme
It's helping youngsters staying with Alabaré to personalise the spaces they're living in
Young people without a home in Wiltshire are being boosted thanks to a £200,000 grant programme.
Salisbury-based charity Alabaré has been given £7,000 from Swindon-based bank Nationwide and it's "Fairer Futures" fund.
The More Than a Roof: Personalisation Grant programme is allowing 16-21 year olds staying in the charity's supported accommodation to add a personal touch to their current living spaces.
They've been kitting out their rooms with a variety of soft furnishings, including curtains, rugs and bedding, as well as decorative items such as plants, pictures, and mirrors, plus electrical items like lights, kettles, and toasters.
The grants were made available to Centerpoint's network of partners.
Kiah is one of the young people being supported by Alabaré and was among those to receive a grant in the first round of funding.
“When I found out we were getting the grant, I did cry a little bit, because it was like ‘someone else wants to help me out, someone wants to make my life a little bit better’ and it was really nice to see," she said.
Kiah added: "I was very close to moving on and getting my own place and I was thinking, that’s really going to help me for when I move on. I managed to save myself so much money, that was a massive help to me, starting to live independently."
A young man, who wished to remain anonymous, said it was an "unexpected but pleasant shock" to get a grant: "£200 to buy whatever I need for my room, I was like, 'wow!'"
Lucy revealed it's had a lot of benefits: "I definitely feel more relaxed and more settled. It's made it feel more homely, more comfortable.
"I don't have to worry about buying stuff in the future too, so it's definitely helped in that aspect as well."
Charlotte Kensett, Director of Customer Experience and Social Impact at Nationwide, said: “For young people facing homelessness, supported accommodation is a lifeline. Through Nationwide Fairer Futures and our partnership with Centrepoint we’re proud to make a difference to young people’s lives by helping them make their space feel like home - creating a sense of safety and stability that’s crucial for their wellbeing.”
Lisa Waring, Head of Partnerships at Centrepoint, said: “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 first round of funding has made 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.”