As more expectant mothers are finding themselves without a roof over their head, the right support has never been more vital. This not only ensures the health and well-being of the mother but of her child as well. We’re here to guide you through your options and the services available to help you through this crucial time.
The Office for National Statistics states 2.3 million people experienced domestic abuse in the year to March 2020 – and with the current restrictions of coronavirus, this number is likely to soar. So what are the signs of domestic abuse? What should we do if we encounter them? And how can we help young people through such turmoil? Here, we explain everything you need to know.
Centrepoint’s new report, A Year Like No Other, has reflected on the impact of the last year on vulnerable young people, looking at youth unemployment, homelessness, poverty and mental health, and assessing the impact of the government’s policy interventions during the pandemic. Here, Deputy Service Manager Emily Cretch talks us through the research, and reflects on how the past year has been for her and her team.
Today sees the London mayoral elections take place once again, but this year will be different from the others: in the wake of a pandemic that has devastated the lives of many all over the country, there is much to rebuild. All candidates have vowed to improve London over the next four years – but who will make a difference to the lives of homeless young people?
Financial benefits, housing support and access to government employment programmes are all key to helping homeless people gain their independence. However, for the homeless, benefits – and the process of claiming them – can sometimes seem confusing. That’s why we’re here to help with our handy guide to your entitlement.
As recipients of the lowest amount of Universal Credit, young people have been left struggling to make ends meet for decades. When the weekly £20 uplift is removed at the end of this month, many vulnerable young people will be forced to compromise between food, bills or rent – an impossible choice that will make it even harder for homeless young people to move forward with their lives.
With over 600,000 shows and 62 million listeners, you could say podcasts are pretty popular - which is why we created our own. This National Podcasting Day, we’re taking a deep dive into one of our two fantastic Centrepoint podcasts, the youth-led Point Made.(Watch this space for the story of our mental health podcast, Centred.) Find out how we made it, why it was important, and discover the young people who helped make it such a passionate podcast.
Our legal team make up a vital part of the service we offer young people at Centrepoint. For those seeking legal support, it can be incredibly difficult to attain without financial aid, and so many often go without. Centrepoint is here to help change that. Nabila, a legal administrator coming to the end of a secondment with the Legal Team, tells us about what she has learnt during her time with the department and the important service they provide.
Our legal team recently experienced a bittersweet victory: through years of hard work they managed to reclaim a huge backlog of benefits payments owed to a young person using Centrepoint’s services. A huge and monumental success, yes -but it certainly wasn’t an easy win.
Centrepoint’s goal is to help vulnerable young people become independent enough to live a good life that they can thrive in. And we are open to all homeless young people, regardless of their geographical circumstances. Whether they’ve been kicked out of their family home in London or have travelled to the UK as an unaccompanied minor, we’re here to help.
