Here at Streetlife, we are always looking for more ways to support young people in Blackpool who are struggling with homelessness.

As part of this, we have been working on a new project since the new year. This project is running for 12 weeks and is in partnership with the NHS and Lancashire REN (Research Engagement Network) from UCLan.

What does the project involve?

It has been identified that the voices and experiences of young people are often underrepresented, and we wanted to be a part of changing that. As part of the young action group every Friday morning, many young people have been taking part in their own training.

The training is designed to help these young people become social researchers so they can gain more valuable insight into issues affecting their peer groups. Once this information has been gathered, it can be fed back to the NHS, which helps to ensure that young people in the area do have a voice that is heard and respected.

How has this been possible?

We have been working closely with young people to gain better insight into youth homelessness. We aim to help young people feel confident and empowered enough to complete their own research into important subjects such as this.

The young people have also spent four weeks working alongside Ali Khan, the Director of Big Comedy Workshop, to promote confidence and well-being. This training has been a huge success and has definitely helped our young people to feel more confident.

The results of the project

All of the young people who have been involved in this helpful project have engaged well and flourished throughout the process. We have received fantastic feedback and have seen firsthand how much the process has improved well-being, confidence and self-esteem.

Additionally, the process has allowed our young people to gain tangible skills that they will keep for life. We are so proud of each and every individual who has taken part in the project.

Many of the young people we meet have been suffering in other ways, as well as homelessness, so it’s great to give them something so excellent to be involved in.

Our Base is open Monday to Friday (12:30 pm – 15:30 pm) and is a drop-in centre for vulnerable young people in Blackpool. During these drop-in sessions, young people are encouraged to meet new people and learn valuable skills they can use for life. Some of these can include art, music, mindfulness, sports classes, walking groups, cooking classes and more. Our services are open to those aged between 16 and 25 in Blackpool.

We’re really pleased with the success of the project and look forward to running more projects in the future to support young people in Blackpool.