YWAF Somerset

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Our Story

Youth With A Future (YWAF) work alongside other organisations to support young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or threatened with homelessness and those in supported housing projects in the Mendip area of Somerset and also supports local positive youth initiatives and activities. Over the years, YWAF has worked alongside and mainly supported the work of Mendip YMCA and the young people who live at Street Foyer, Frome Foyer and Grace Harris House, Shepton Mallet. These supported housing schemes take in young people aged 16 to 25 years who would not otherwise have anywhere to live. Many are 'sofa-surfing' (staying with friends and sleeping on their sofas/floors) for long periods of time, having no place to call home; many are leaving local authority care at the age of 16+ and cannot live with their parents for various reasons; many have suffered family breakdown or bereavement and find it difficult to settle. Most are not in education, training or employment, but despite everything, some do manage to maintain college courses and go to work. The Mendip YMCA Supported Housing Projects have paid staff running the houses, ensuring that the young people receive consistent, caring support that is practical and meets whatever needs they may have. They also have access to all sorts of outside help from other agencies that can support the young residents to help them with mental health issues, substance misuse, finding education, training and employment and so on. Very importantly, the staff ensure that these young people are kept safe, with consistent boundaries – two things that are incredibly important to give them stability. Everyone has hopes, dreams and ambitions, but if you are young, homeless, rootless and have no parental support, life can seem pretty impossible. Mendip YMCA also deliver youth work in several youth clubs in Frome, Coleford, Shepton Mallet, Glastonbury and Street.

YWAF provide funding in various ways for young people aged 16-25 living in the Mendip area of Somerset, both within and outside of Mendip YMCA, and here are some examples of how we help:

• We provide Moving-in Grants (up to £80) to purchase things for their rooms – these belongings are then their own to keep when they move on to more permanent accommodation. • We also pay for communal activities in each of the houses so that the young people can feel part of a "family", helping them to bond together and appreciate each other' s company. • Clothing grants are given to buy clothes and footwear to those young people who have been sleeping rough and/or sofa-surfing and have very little. • At Christmas we ensure that every young person living in each of the houses receives a £20 gift card to buy something they would like for themselves. It also pays for them to have a Christmas meal together either in a local pub, or cooked and enjoyed in their house. • We gives grants to individuals across Mendip – these young people just need some extra support in moving on with some aspect of their life. Some examples are the purchase of college and course kits and materials, grants to help with college trips, bus fares, music lessons, clothing grants and purchase of replacement birth certificates. • We sometimes also support the work of other charities, such as CHALISS (a counselling charity for young people in the Glastonbury area) and Options Pregnancy Crisis Centre (a pregnancy and sexual health advice charity).

YWAF welcomes grant applications from young people aged 16-25 living in the Mendip area and also from Community Groups directly serving this age group. Please contact us for more information!