The large, barn-like building acts as a day centre for anyone aged 16-21 who finds themselves in a position of homelessness and in need of both immediate relief and more long-term support. We popped in one Monday lunchtime to have a chat with Owen Duff NH’s media and communications coordinator.
As the chef, who seemed to have a private joke with everyone who walked past, served up a hot lunch, young guys sat at computers, others played guitar warming up for their afternoon of busking, while some popped in and out of counselling sessions. In this hotbed of warmth and activity, we still managed to get a greeting and an offer of a cuppa by almost everyone who walked past.
The centre also has an in-house counsellor and an on-sight nurse, and provides advice and training on a range of social, psychological and legal issues, as well as having a very strong employment and education team. “In a way, we are supplying the support network that middle class people often have available to them,” says Owen. “We’re trying to provide the knowledge and back-up for people who just don’t have it.”
New Horizon also sources emergency accommodation for those who are in work but are unable to fend for themselves on minimum wage. They work with a housing association to provide reduced rent to young people. “On top of this, we do all kinds of workshops for art, health and fitness, and we also have our own music studio, so there’s stuff going on all the time.”
The youth centre offers a unique and holistic service that intervenes at this crucial stage, preventing young homeless people from becoming entrenched rough sleepers. “Obviously homelessness is a big area of people’s concern, but there are particular issues around young street sleepers,” he says. “If we get to them at this early stage then there’s a good chance that we can prevent them from becoming trapped in a cycle of homelessness.”
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