Tackling a rise in youth homelessness

Between July & August this year, the number of young people sleeping rough increased by 47% versus the same period in 2019.

Young people now make up 11% of total rough sleepers here in London, the highest proportion ever recorded.

In response to these shocking statistics, this year’s Mayoral winter campaign will raise funds specifically for four homelessness charities who are providing specialist care for young people who find themselves without a safe place to call home. We wanted to take the time to explain to you what is prompting this rise in youth homelessness, what our campaign will do to stop it, and how you can help us.

📈 Why are numbers rising so quickly?

The number of under-25s who are forced to live on the streets is now at a historic level. This is largely because the informal support that young people typically rely on - say from family and friends who will let them sofa-surf - has become much harder to come by under coronavirus restrictions. With households unable to mix, thousands of Londoners were forced to close their doors to someone facing homelessness, that they would otherwise have supported.

Outreach workers and youth services have been sounding the alarm bell ahead of this winter that there is an impending crisis coming, and that rough sleeping is getting worse. Outreach teams in Newham reported finding young people bedding down in parks for the first time, as their informal support arrangements fell through leaving them with nowhere else to go.

💪 How will the TAP campaign tackle youth homelessness?

For a third year running, TAP is partnering with the Mayor of London on his winter campaign which has raised over £500,000 to date for the homeless - all through the generosity of Londoners.

This year, every single penny raised through the winter appeal will go to four game-changing youth homelessness charities, all providing specific support to under 25s here in London. We will be sharing full profiles on each of the charities over the winter months, but here’s a quick run-down of the incredible work they do.

Centrepoint: Centrepoint is a national charity helping young people across the country who are facing homelessness. They run services every day of the year, including Christmas Day to ensure that every young homeless person that comes through their door is supported. Last year they celebrated their fiftieth year of operations - Centrepoint was started in the basement of St Anne’s Church in Dean Street, Soho. All funds raised in this campaign will be spent supporting young people in the London area. Seyi Obakin, Chief Executive of Centrepoint said:

“We know this is shaping up to be a Christmas like no other. However we should try to remember that London’s most vulnerable young people don’t have that support network of family or friends and some may even lack somewhere safe to sleep. That is why we are so grateful for the Mayor’s support, and it is why we need your help now more than ever. This appeal will let us protect more vulnerable young people over Christmas and give them a chance of a brighter New Year.”

akt: Coming out, or being outed as LGBTQ+ can lead to young people being made homeless. On top of this, once homeless, these young people are more likely to face violence and discrimination, more likely to develop substance misuse issues and experience sexual exploitation. With 24% of homeless young people identifying as LGBTQ+, the work done by akt is absolutely vital. They provide safe accommodation, mentorship, housing advice and employment training for LGBTQ+ young people who are homeless or living in hostile environments. They are driven by the belief that no young person should have to choose between a safe home and being who they are.

Depaul: For over 30 years, Depaul has worked alongside young people facing homelessness to provide accommodation, practical support and wellbeing resources to get people back on their feet. Founded in 1989 in response to the growing number of people on the streets, today Depaul has expanded to be a global operation. As with all of our beneficiaries, all funds will be spent in London, supporting young people in the capital. In fact, Depaul has already been successfully working with the Mayor’s pandemic emergency response, most recently providing desperately needed emergency accommodation and resettlement support for young people. CEO Mike Thiedke says,

“With more young people than ever facing homelessness as a result of the pandemic, the need for our services will only increase, so the Mayor and TAP’s support could not have come at a better time. A heartfelt ‘thank you’ from all of us at Depaul UK - we will put the funds to very good use!”

New Horizon Youth Centre: NHYC is a day centre working with disadvantaged young people, many of whom have poor self esteem, a history of rejection, harm and abuse, and often negative experiences of organisations that exist to support them. NHYC was founded in 1967 to address the needs of young people who were involved in drug misuse in the West End of London, and has spent the past five decades serving the community by providing a safe space for young people who are homeless in the capital. Phil Kerry, Chief Executive says:

“This year we have seen Covid-19 has pushed more young people onto the streets. As the only charity in London offering youth-specific street outreach and day care support for under 25s sleeping rough, your donations are vital to ensure we can offer the services so badly needed this winter.”

🤝 How can you help?

We have a big fundraising target of £50,000, so if you want to get involved in the fight against youth homelessness, please donate what you can to the campaign. You can donate at any one of our 100 contactless points across London (check out the map here to find one near you), or donate from the comfort of your own home here.