Centrepoint is the UK’s leading youth homeslessness charity, committed to supporting homeless 16-25 year-olds across London, Manchester, Yorkshire and the North East. The charity focuses on areas of policy including housing, family and health, and offers young people a chance to leave homelessness behind forever.
Since 2017, Centrepoint has been supporting homeless young people in Manchester. As a key player in the residential housing market, the work that Centrepoint does to alleviate the housing crisis really resonates with us. Our UK team is also based in Ancoats, a neighbourhood in Manchester city centre, making Centrepoint’s mission very close to home.
“We have an enthusiastic and growing team in Manchester and we are strongly committed to supporting social causes. Working in the city, we see the problem of homelessness at first hand.” Matt Lavin, Benoit Properties
Some facts about Centrepoint:
- Supports over 14,000 young people every year
- Provides almost 1,300 bed spaces for homeless young people
- Runs two centres where homeless young people can find essential support
- 60 per cent of those who took Centrepoint training courses in 2020/21 finished with a qualification
- 87 per cent of participants in their Engagement programme reported an increase in confidence and self-esteem after taking part.
Our partnership with Centrepoint
In 2017, Benoit Properties took part in our first ever ‘Roof for a Roof’ scheme to support the youth homelessness charity, raising over £2,300 throughout the month of October. For every property sold, the company sponsored a room for a homeless young person for a year. In addition to this, staff took part in Centrepoint’s Sleep Out event (#SleepOutMCR) on 19 October at London Road Fire Station.
The Roof for a Roof scheme was just the beginning of our partnership with Centrepoint. Benoit Properties participated in a second scheme the following September, and since 2021 has donated monthly to help the city’s homelessness crisis.
Centrepoint’s Regional Fundraising Manager Ben Bowden, who is based in Manchester, said: “Support from companies like Benoit Properties is vital for us to be able to continue our work supporting the city’s most vulnerable young people. We are extremely grateful for their support and applaud their desire to address the complex issues that cause youth homelessness.”
Ending youth homelessness by 2037
Centrepoint found that UK youth homelessness had increased from 86,000 in 2016-17 to 121,000 in 2019-20. Over the pandemic, it helped 37,000 people into safe and secure accommodation, including 26,000 who have already moved into longer-term accommodation. But despite this, there is still a lot of work to be done.
Seyi Obakin, the chief executive of Centrepoint, the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, said “The problem is worse than it was a decade ago and it’s actually worse than it was two years ago,” Obakin said. “It is heartbreaking to see the range of complex issues that young people are presenting with is also getting wider.”
Young people can become homeless for a number of reasons, such as the breakdown of family relationships, exlcusion from school, refugee status, gang crime, mental and physical health issues and more. All of this undoubtabely impacts young people’s mental health, and is exacberated by the effects of homelessness.
To enable young people to move on from the cause and effects of homelessness, Centrepoint provides a range of services, including an in-house health service, education and training opportunities as well as sports programmes. The charity also campaigns to infleunce national and local governement policy and effect change.
Recent News
Centrepoint has spent the last year at North Parade while its primary base at 52 Oldham Street undergoes an impressive transformation. The charity was determined to make Manchester’s homeless feel safe, valued and cared for, and this is reflected in its investment into the Oldham Street building. Its new, psychologically informed environment has been created in collaboration with young people, and has been completely modernised. Frankie, 21, is being supported by Centrepoint; when asked what she made of Oldham Street’s transformation, she said, “It’s really important to have a building like this that is dedicated to easing the anxiety that comes with not knowing where next to turn when you’re facing homelessness.”
A brighter future
94 per cent of young people move on positively from Centrepoint—moving into their own homes, reconnecting with their families, getting their first jobs or going to university.
If you’d like to play a part in the future of homeless young people in Manchester, donate or get involved in Centrepoint’s mission and help end youth homelessness.
