Whitehaven Foyer

The Whitehaven Foyer, a capital investment transformed the disused YMCA building on Irish Street, into an innovative and inspirational ‘Foyer’ to provide young homeless people opportunities to live independently, access training and work.

Whitehaven Foyer

Date: January 2014
Grant Awarded: £963,620.00

Foyers are projects for young people that provide “a springboard to independent living, training and work” offering accommodation and a range of support facilities in one building. They house young people 16-25, who have been homeless, who are vulnerable, lacking in life skills and who have left school with few qualifications. Assisting them to have a successful transition to a self-reliant adult life, often alongside community resource centres extending this facility to the wider community.

The Foyer’s activities incorporate the ‘working assets’ approach running social enterprise projects that will develop individual assets in capability and character. These will build skills, resources and ability through practical activities preparing participants for the world of work or developing their own business start-up.

The capital investment provided the capital costs to transform a disused building into a fit for purpose Foyer, including:

  • 15 flats for vulnerable young people
  • 2 additional flats for young parents
  • Provision of engagement in education, employment, and training
  • Personal development opportunities to make a positive contribution to the local community

Project Impacts

2
Construction apprentice placements with main contractor
2
Long term tenants for office space within the Foyer
755 sq metres
Refurbished floor space
1
New and improved cultural facility
15
Young people tenancies established at the Foyer
2
Young parents’ tenancies established at the Foyer
5
Full time jobs created
3
Partner agencies for service delivery
3
Open days held to raise public awareness of historic building renovation
100%
of those residents in education, employment or training
3
Education or skills training schemes set up
10
Volunteers developing work skills within the Foyer
3
Social enterprises established
20
Young people or community members involved in the 3 social enterprises
100
People taking part in Job Club activities
10
Residents successfully moving on to independent living
50
Bookings for meeting rooms
90%
of residents meeting targets in their personal support plans
100
Bookings for meeting rooms

Project Impacts

  • To complete construction of the Whitehaven Foyer on budget.
  • To provide accommodation for 15 young people and 2 young parents along with services tailored to their needs, to enable young people to actively engage in education, employment and training.