The Benjamin Foundation Monthly Update

The Benjamin Foundation

The Benjamin Foundation is a local charity which helps people across Norfolk and Suffolk to deal with some of the challenges that life throws at them.

Whether it’s the prevention of youth homelessness, helping families to build stronger relationships or providing positive activities for young people with limited opportunities, our work brings hope, opportunity, stability and independence to the people we support.

Lily’s Story: The Chance To Give Back

With COVID-19, otherwise known as Coronavirus, having a massive impact on entire communities, one young person supported by The Benjamin Foundation has seized the opportunity to give something back.

Having secured a job at a local care home, Lily*, aged 17, was also given a boost by the charity’s Young Person’s Fund - made possible by supporters of Sleep Out, our annual fundraising event.

Lily has been living at The Hub in King’s Lynn since November 2019. Having always wanted a caring job, she was thrilled when she was offered the post of a Healthcare Assistant at a care home in the town. She is especially pleased to be able to play a positive role in the community during the Coronavirus crisis.

“I was really nervous when I went for the interview. But they said they were excited to have me on the team and offered me a contract. I was honestly made up.”

With the job offer dependent on a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, Lily was anxious about how she would pay for this. However, with the ‘Young Person’s Fund’ made possible thanks to support from The Benjamin Foundation Sleep Out events, it was possible to pay for her DBS check quickly and easily ensuring Lily could take up her new position without delay.

“The Young Person’s Fund paying for my DBS check took a massive pressure off my shoulders, because I was worried about how I would pay for this myself.”

Now, she has overcome this barrier and is looking forward to her next steps to independence by commencing her job helping local elderly people.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know the care industry; working with the older generation, hearing their stories and understanding their physical problems. They have given us, the younger generation, our future and I want to help them in the same way that they have helped us.”

Lily’s new job is just the first step as she also looks beyond Coronavirus to securing her own flat and independence, and she is grateful for all of the support she has received from The Hub and The Benjamin Foundation.

“I’ve the opportunity to get my own place and I’ve been making preparations for furniture with the help of The Hub. I’ve also gained AQAs [qualifications that enable young people to progress to the next stage in their lives by learning life skills], to help me with things like cooking and budgeting money.

“I’ve had so much support.”

*Name has been changed.

Can You Support Us During COVID-19?

Our work to prevent local youth homelessness does not stop.

While many people are able to work from home, our colleagues are delivering front-line, essential services to over 100 local, vulnerable young people each day, each night, 365 days a year, giving them a safe place to live, support and the skills they need to forge independent lives.

Our teams delivering front-line services are under more pressure than ever and they continue to provide amazing support and help to bring hope, opportunity, stability and independence to local people who need us.

To read more about how your donations can help the young people we support, please click here: https://bit.ly/TBF1Covid19