We had a wonderful time at @onroutefoyer Youth Power Fund awards celebration today! A chance to reflect on the amazing achievements of young people and staff over the last three years of the project. Congratulations to all the winners! A special well done to Ethan and Connor for organising and hosting the event so brilliantly #youthleadership #youthpower
On 18th September, youth homelessness and housing leaders came together for the first-ever Connecting Leaders event @rfsklondon 🎉
Phill Kerry, CEO of New Horizons Youth Centre, delivered a powerful talk on "6 Lessons from 6 Years of Mayhem". In the afternoon, Leadership Coach Emily Lomax dove into how to build engaged teams. So here's what leaders said are the signs of a highly engaged workplace:
💬 Commitment & Motivation - teams understand the "why" and feel driven by purpose.
💬 Flow & Natural Engagement - employees feel aligned with and productive in their roles.
💬 Recognition & Value - everyone is seen for who they are and contributions are recognised.
💬 Shared Goals - there is common belief in the organisation’s goals which fuels collective commitment.
💬Empowerment - everyone participates and feels empowered to influence decisions.
What did people say about the day?
🗣 “The most useful part of the day was sharing our thoughts and ideas” - Arlene Walker, Enfield Foyer
🗣 “Phill Kerry was excellent” - Lisa Waring, Centrepoint
🗣️ "Inspiring!" - Jake, Depaul Uk
Massive thank you Phil Kerry @nhyouthcentre and Emily Lomax for speaking.
Shout out to everyone who joined - @centrepointuk@depaul_uk , @ymcafg , @theclocktowersanctuary@ymcalcan@curo_group@mhs_homes@weareconnexus@ymcamiltonkeynes
This event was proudly supported by Serveco.
#ConnectingLeaders2024 #advantagedthinking #youthhomelessness #youthsupportedhousing
Today we’re excited to run an event with our partner SNG and their #iwill Youth Network team.
🙌 Our meeting aims to facilitate connection between network members, increase the confidence they have in delivering their work, and support impact growth.
🏋️♀️ The session will be about Powering Up Youth, sharing our learnings and facilitating reflection and discussion within the group about how we listen to, involve and share decision making with young people.
🗣️ We'll hear from two young leaders about their experiences and suggestions for how to do this work well.
“We’re so pleased to have partnered with The Foyer Federation on such an impactful strand of The SNG #iwill Fund, our SNG #iwill Youth Network,” said Ellie Cutler, SNG’s #iwill Fund Project Officer.
Find out more by clicking the link in our bio. @networkhomes
Foyers are facing an increasingly tough environment amid new regulations, ever-tighter budgets and increasing levels of support required by young people. Through it all, staff continue to deliver high-quality transformational services for young people.
Foyers from our membership responded to our survey in February this year to tell us about their successes, challenges and key learnings. Here’s what our members are most proud of:
☔ “We have continued to provide a high-quality service in a challenging climate.”
🏋️♀️ “We have given more power to the young people to make decisions about the Foyer.”
💯 “The staff are still giving 100% to the young people.”
Read the full survey responses by clicking on the link in the bio 👆
#SocialHousing #YouthHousing #EmpoweringYouth
Last year, 136,000 young people were forced to register as homeless with their councils.
That’s why we’re calling on Rushanara Ali, MP for Building Safety and Homelessness, to help end the spiralling crisis of youth homelessness.
Along with more than 140 charities, we’ve written a letter to call on the new government to adopt a cross-departmental strategy to end youth homelessness, and a bolder, youth-specific response.
✉️ Read the full letter above and find out more about the campaign by clicking the link in our bio.
#PlanForThe136k #EndYouthHomelessness
“Our Foyer has improved aesthetically but it is much more of a community. Our residents are proud to live at the Foyer and staff are proud to work there.”
After its second year, staff members and young people from Foyers told us about their experiences of the Youth Power Fund – a programme that supports innovation and creativity in sharing power with young people.
🧑🤝🧑 Through working together on projects, supporting and leading each other, Youth Power Fund activities increased the opportunities for connections to be made between residents.
🏡 Young people reported meeting people in their building they didn’t really interact with before and often these new connections led to the formation of further projects.
🪴 Activities within the Foyer such as community meals, painting and gardening increased an overall sense of community both between young people and staff members.
“Thanks to the guidance and funding, we've been able to bring together a community of young people who all want to act and make a change in the area that they live and work in,” said one young leader.
Read the full Impact Report by visiting the link in our bio.
#SocialHousing #YouthHousing #EmpoweringYouth
Homelessness is not a mystery or senseless – it is a direct outcome of the systems that are meant to protect us all failing. And yet, last year, 136,000 young people, or 372 a day, were forced to register as homeless with their councils.
These are 16- to 25-year-olds who should be hopeful and excited for their futures – starting college or university, beginning their first jobs and discovering their potential – but instead finding themselves without the most basic of needs.
And the crisis is only getting worse, with the 136,000 figure an increase of 5% on the year before.
That’s why the Foyer Federation has joined with more than 140 charities to call on the new government to adopt a cross-departmental strategy to end youth homelessness, and a bolder, youth-specific response.
“The campaign has enabled like-minded organisations who are working tirelessly to provide positive housing and support pathways for young people to come together and amplify the voices of those who can’t live at home. We’ve agreed on common objectives for the government to get behind as part of creating a new national Youth Homelessness Strategy,” said Joel Lewis, our Chief Executive.
🗣️ Find out more about the campaign by clicking the link in our bio.
“The Youth Power Fund has helped me grow in confidence and empower myself.”
After its second year, staff members and young people from Foyers told us about their experiences of the Youth Power Fund – a programme that supports innovation and creativity in sharing power with young people.
They told us that:
💰 By organising and running outings and events, young people gained practical skills like budgeting, communication and group decision making – boosting their self-confidence.
🎤 As Youth Power Fund activities encouraged young people to take on roles where they were handed control, they became more confident in voicing their wants and needs relating to service improvement within the Foyer.
🧑🤝🧑 In many cases, youth-led organising within the Foyer built a foundation from which young people gained the skills and confidence to grow projects beyond the Foyer into the local community.
“You can really see the difference in how the funding has empowered them – their voice is heard, they're listened to, it's given them so much more independence and life skills,” said one Foyer Staff Member.
Read the full Impact Report by visiting the link in our bio.
#SocialHousing #YouthHousing #EmpoweringYouth
🚨 It’s the last chance to book on to our Connecting Leaders event, taking place on the 18th September in London.
Joined by Phill Kerry, the CEO of New Horizons Youth Centre, and Leadership and Development Expert Emily Lomax, this event is all about equipping you for impactful leadership in youth supported housing and homelessness.
👉 Grab your ticket via the link in our bio by 3pm today.
Can’t wait to see you there! 🎉
#ConnectingLeaders24 #Advantagedthinking
“It brought them together as a group”
Young people in Foyers consistently say that mental health and wellbeing is one of their biggest concerns.
Our ReRooted programme aims to make their time in Foyers a positive and inspiring experience, enabling them to feel safe to put down new roots. Supported by funding from UK Youth's Thriving Minds Fund and the CHK Foundation, each Foyer has been given £250 to implement their own wellbeing project or event.
The Bridge Foyer has just spent some of their pot – escaping…!
🕵️♀️ “The young people chose to go to an escape room. The three young men are our newest residents and this was their first time doing something with us – it brought them together as a group. Afterwards they all had pizza and spent a few hours chatting with each other. It was a success.”
Find out more about our ReRooted programme by clicking on the link in our bio.
#MovingOnUp #SocialHousing #YouthHousing #EmpoweringYouth @uk.youth
Welcome aboard Tina!
In May, Tina Taylor joined the Foyer Federation in the newly created position of Finance Manager. With a background in charity finance, she is motivated by working with organisations that facilitate positive social change and especially those that work with young people.
🗣️“It’s hard being a young person these days, lots of people don’t get the best start. The Foyer Federation supports young people to be the best that they can – and I’m grateful to be able to play my part.”
Get to know Tina as she shares her day-to-day tasks and the biggest challenges of her job by clicking the link in the bio.
#FoyerFederation #AdvantagedThinking
