A growing number of homeowners across Medway are opening their doors through the Supported Homes programme, to make a difference to young people in need of support – but more are needed.
This week our Supported Homes hosts are backing the national “Supported Lodgings Week” drive to find more homes where care leavers, aged 16 to 25-years-old, can find a safe environment while developing their independence skills.
Under the scheme, hosts offer a spare room to help a young person to prepare for independent living, along with friendship and mentorship when needed, and receive thank you payments of £330 a week in exchange.
You can find out more by visiting our supported Homes Team this week, at their stand in Dockside Shopping Centre on Tuesday 10 November, from 10am-1pm.
It’s a growing success story in Medway, with the number of approved hosts increasing from nine to 19 in the last year – and one longstanding host explained how offering help can be a life-enriching experience.
One of the most rewarding programmes you can embark upon
Medway host Nkisan Etuk said: “I’ve been able through this programme to work with a young person, make a massive difference to their life, give them structure, a framework to build from, insight, guidance. It’s one of the most rewarding programmes you can embark upon. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time working with a young person and I can’t recommend it enough.”
Supported Homes host JD, who has helped six young people since joining the scheme in 2019, said: “My motivation to become a supported homes host was to make a young person’s life better, to change their lives and to be a role model for them. There were many positives, for example when a young person got his own accommodation and I could help them to move in and observing that they were ready to live on their own.
“I have learnt to see small changes as big achievements for them and to look at their journey while they were living with me and how they have developed and grown. Even something small like a young person having showers without being prompted to do it, can be a big achievement! I have an open, honest relationship with the young people who live with me. I do not tell them lies and I have discussions with them about employment, budgeting, self-care and relationships.”
He said he had learned a lot from the young people he’d helped, adding: “Several of the young people who moved on to their own accommodation have stayed in touch with me after they moved out, and it is rewarding to realise that I am still an important person in their lives. I am so proud of the young person who is currently living with me, the way he has settled in with me and his hard work to get his life back on track again.
For me, the value of supported homes is that you can be part of a young person’s journey and progress from the time they move in with you until they leave, and to watch their develop from being dependent boys to independent young men. It can be a tough but an extremely rewarding and enjoyable journey.”
Giving young people a better chance
Another Supported Homes SJ, who has been helping out a 17-year-old young person since February, said: “I have learnt to accept her unconditionally and that to provide her with a safe, comfortable home is the most important thing I can do for her. I provide her with opportunities and information, but it is up to her whether she feels ready to utilise it. My role is to befriend her, to be a trusted person and a good role model for her. I encourage her to prepare healthy meals, to clean her bedroom and the bathroom and to do her laundry regularly.
I have quickly learnt to celebrate seemingly small achievements. The first time my young person offered to prepare a meal for me on her own, and the first time when she felt comfortable to travel back home on her own from London, may not seem to others as major events, but for her they were big achievements and I am very proud of her! Recently, she has asked if we could store some of her belongings in the garage, which is an indication that she feels that this is her home now and that she is going to be here for a while.
The supported homes scheme is very valuable, as most care experienced young people cannot manage on their own. They need that 1:1 support and a safe environment to give them a better chance of becoming independent adults. There should be more people who can offer supported homes. I will say to anyone who is considering becoming a supported homes host to give it a go. It can be a very rewarding experience!”
So could you join the ranks of those helping out in Medway?
Find out how you can make a difference to a young life by visiting: Medway.gov.uk/Fostering