At Streetlife, we rely on funding from organisations and the generosity of our incredible community to continue providing our wide range of services.

As a result of central government funding through the Night Shelter Transformation Fund from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), we have been able to appoint a Therapeutic Activities Coordinator at the night shelter, James.

James hasn’t been with us for long, but he has already had a huge impact on the lives of our young people.

What James does

Following Covid, we extended the Night Shelter‘s opening hours to 24/7, giving our young people better access to services whenever they need them. As a result of this change, James plans activities for and with our young people who are currently staying there during the day. These activities run alongside their duty appointments and accommodation searches.

The activities vary widely, but they all focus on building well-being, confidence, and self-esteem, helping our young people improve their mental health and increase their resilience.

Day trips out

Some of the trips which James has organised with our young people have involved venturing out into the community. Many of them have been centred around local facilities that our young people can enjoy independently at a later date, such as swimming or bowling.

By embarking on these trips with our support, they can build independence and confidence to access local amenities in the future.

Other trips have been a little more challenging and involve visiting nearby rural destinations to take part in canoeing and caving. Our next challenge is abseiling, which many of our young people are looking forward to!

A change of scenery and some time spent outdoors does wonders for our young people and their well-being, especially when they are navigating so many personal obstacles.

The feedback

We have received such amazing feedback from our young people about these trips. Even though they can be challenging, it’s great to see everyone working together to support each other. The trips allow our young people to learn new skills, enjoy the outdoors and grow together as a team.

“I was able to be happier as I wasn’t focusing on my problems.”

The aim

Many of our young people don’t get the opportunity to enjoy these activities, which is why they may be seeking our support. These activities allow our young people to engage in the same activities that others their age are doing. We pride ourselves on giving our young people a chance to be their age, have fun, and participate in things that many of us take for granted.

We are so grateful to have James on board to really help our young people focus on well-being and gaining vital skills for everyday life.

We can’t wait to see what’s next and are feeling really proud of our young people for everything they have achieved!