This scheme is specifically for young, homeless people between the ages of 16-24 years of age. The young people come from a wide variety of backgrounds such as split families, care or foster care, hostels, living on the streets and sofa-surfing to name a few. The scheme provides partially furnished, single-person, self-contained flats for a period of up to two years. Residents have their own Project Worker who provides support. Residents see their Project Worker at least once a week in the first instance to help the young person settle into living alone. Once settled the purpose of the support is to provide each young person with the necessary skills in order to manage and maintain their own tenancy and so live independently at the end of the two year period. We cover the following areas:

• Budgeting – often on benefits.
• Paying bills and prioritising these – such as rent, council tax, utilities, fines and credit cards.
• Cooking
• Cleaning
• Attending appointments – such as those with Connexions, doctors, dentists and job interviews.
• Decorating
• Personal development such as increasing confidence and forming relationships.
• Completing application forms – such as those for Housing Benefit and those for housing association waiting lists.
• Providing support and encouragement.

In order for young people to meet the criteria of the scheme they must be engaging in or have shown a commitment to employment, education or training in the past twelve months – this means that they must have held down a job, completed a college course or be engaged on a training placement for some time. This is often difficult for a young person who may be living a chaotic life with little or no stability or support.

We take referrals for our accommodation from Carlisle City Council Homeless Team, the colleges (Carlisle College and the Art and Drama College), hostels, Connexions, Social Services Leaving Care Team, the Youth Offending Team, other C.A.S.S. schemes and occasionally applicants themselves.