Aged 16, Tash was forced to leave home and then spent six years sofa surfing.
But after staying with…
Sarah came to Centrepoint after her mental health spiralled out of control and she was not able to s…
When Jess’s mum kicked her out when she was just 16, she ended up at Centrepoint. She then moved thr…
Cara ended up at Centrepoint in the early noughties after leaving her family home due to her dad’s d…
Steve had a comfortable middle class background, but his home life was turbulent. At the age of 18 h…
Terence started as a volunteer at Centrepoint in November 1993. He spent a number of years working i…
Maureen started working for Centrepoint in November 2003 as a Resettlement Officer and is now the Service Manager at one of our services in Camden. To mark our 50th anniversary, she reflects on working for Centrepoint and the changes over the years.
Gary became homeless in the early 90s after being disowned by his family for being gay. After a period of rough sleeping he sought help from Centrepoint, where he built up the courage to come out and have pride in who he is.
Mari was a Centrepoint resident in 1997, after being thrown out of home as a teen when the relationship with her mother broke down. Not only did Centrepoint provide Mari with a roof over her head, they also provided a support network that she relied on for many years after.
Emilyn was a Centrepoint resident in 2007 after her mental health deteriorated. Whilst living with Centrepoint, she received support from her keyworker and the learning team, which eventually lead her to university. Emilyn now works for the UK's leading charity for social integration.
Elise went through the care system and came to Centrepoint when she was 18. With Centrepoint’s support, she secured a place at university and completed her degree.
Brookemorgan was housed by Centrepoint for two years. It was here, she says, that she was given the "breathing space" to become independent.
Marianne is Centrepoint's Healthy Relationships Advisor in London. Here, she describes her role and how it is vital to tackling youth homelessness.
Dineer* is 20 years old and became a Centrepoint resident in January. During lockdown, she became a keyworker herself, working as a chef at a major hospital in South West London. Here she talks about her experiences during the pandemic and her hopes to start her own business in the future.
Keith started working for Centrepoint in 2017 following a 20-year career supporting families for other organisations. Currently he supports young parents in Greenwich. Here he tells us why he loves working with young people and children.
When Ebby became pregnant at 17, she was unable to continue living with her mum. She sofa-surfed with extended family members until eventually she was referred to a hostel for young parents. She describes her relationship with her keyworker as instrumental in her turning things around.
Ebby has recently moved into her own flat with her son and has enrolled on a social work course at college.
At just 17, Shannon was referred to Centrepoint when her foster placement broke down. Whilst with Centrepoint, Shannon was supported to finish college, complete an apprenticeship and apply to university. She has recently moved into her own flat and is about to start her degree in fashion design.
Ali, 18, came to the UK as an unaccompanied minor. He was fleeing persecution for both his religion and his sexuality. Originally from Iran, Ali had lived in the Republic of Georgia where he converted to the Baha’i Faith which was forbidden in Iran. Once in the UK, he also came out as gay and is currently seeking asylum on the basis of his sexuality. He is currently studying A-level sciences and hopes to eventually go to university to study in the field of neuroscience.
Lewis 19, lives at a Centrepoint hostel in Central London where he has been since he left care at 18. He is studying game design and recently won a House of Vans competition with Centrepoint to design a skateboard.
His skateboard, along with others designed by famous artists such as Grayson Perry will be part of a virtual auction hosted by The Auction Collective to raise vital funds for homeless young people.
Alice worked at Centrepoint between 2004 and 2011. She managed the 40th Anniversary and was responsible for starting Centrepoint's bursary scheme. She now works for Evolve Housing and Support.
Chris is the service manager of two of our services in Barnsley and has been working with vulnerable people for over 18 years.
Jamie sought help from Centrepoint on four different occasions over a period of six years, which gave her some stability amongst the chaos. Jamie has now moved on from Centrepoint and has recently completed her Masters in Dance.