Partnering up to combat youth homelessness with one-stop hub

Coventry Building Society, alongside youth homelessness charities St Basils and Centrepoint, has established a one-stop youth hub in Coventry to aid young people facing homelessness.

Operating from Harp Place on Sandy Lane, the hub provides comprehensive support services for single individuals or couples aged 18 to 24, including housing, benefits, education, and training advice. Notable attendees at the opening included local council members and Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Recent data from Centrepoint highlights the pressing need for such services, with more than 13,700 young people experiencing homelessness in the West Midlands in a year. In Coventry alone, 1,945 individuals sought assistance from the council, marking a 17% increase from the previous year.

The hub is a pivotal component of Coventry Building Society's multi-million-pound partnership with St Basils and Centrepoint, aiming to combat youth homelessness over three years.

Kip, one beneficiary of St Basils, expressed gratitude for the hub, emphasising the relief of accessing consolidated support rather than repeatedly recounting their upsetting circumstances to multiple agencies.

Jean Templeton, CEO of St Basils, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the hub's role in providing holistic support and expressing delight in participating in the multi-agency partnership, sentiments echoed by Coventry Building Society's CEO, Steve Hughes.