30 years helping London's young homeless

As we enter our 30th year helping young homeless people to turn their lives around, there is much to look back on and feel good about. Looking forward, we still have plenty more to get on with.

At first we depended on charitable individuals giving up a room in their home or a maybe some cash donations. These days we’re a multi-million pound charity helping thousands of young people across South London. We have come a long way in thirty years, but we have only just begun.

 

2011 Annual Review

CAYSH’s 29^th annual review celebrates the most recent year’s successes and challenges. Pick out your favourite stat. Read Bradley’s inspiring tale of homelessness and how he rebuilt his life. Join us in our look backwards at 2010-11and then take a peak with us at some headlines that will soon be written. Click on the cover to download the review in PDF format.

If you do not have Adobe Acrobat PDF reader click here.

Following the housing benefit changes that hit 25-34 year olds hardest, CAYSH have launched a new tenancy sustainment service in Sutton with the help of Crisis. The service will go live in December and we will be contacting those who are eligible for assistance.

Placing homeless 16 and 17 year olds in B&B accommodation is far from desirable. That's why Sutton Council first developed STOP and now we've rolled one out in Croydon too. These short-stay centres allow young people to see if they really do want to leave home yet or to improve home-life so that they can return.

The Zone is our appointmentless advice service for young people based at the Croydon Turnaround Centre. We help more than 1000 people each month aged 14-21, along with their families. Click on the logo for more information.

CAYSH's service for 18-24 year olds in Croydon who need to rent a room in a shared house to avoid homeless, but are unable to. CRIAS Light is a rent-in advance service funded by Crisis, the national charity for single homeless people.

We help hundreds of people find new homes each year with CAYSH's Rent in Advance Services. We enable people to get into private rented accommodation when finances alone might otherwise prevent them.

CAYSH's key service user involvement programme enables young people we help house to develop work place skills and rebuild their self-esteem. Those who get involved gain valuable skills and, quite often, employment.