Children's services
New council project will support young people leaving care in Walsall to live independently
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A new local house project has been launched in Walsall which will support young people leaving care to live independently.
The Walsall House Project will provide care leavers with nine-months of intensive support to prepare them for leaving care so that they are ready to live independently. The project also provides opportunities for care leavers to work together in small groups and build a community of support.
The project will equip care leavers with information, guidance and opportunities across all areas of life. This includes education, employment and careers advice, help with practical skills such as learning to cook, financial training and budget management, and advice about maintaining their home and sustaining their tenancy.
Walsall Council has worked with the charity, National House Project, to adopt the programme locally. The National House Project was first established in 2018 and now supports 14 local authorities in the West Midlands to transform the way in which young people leave care.
“ The launch of the House Project in Walsall is part of our ongoing commitment to Walsall’s care leavers.
Care leavers often face discrimination in all walks of society, and we remain dedicated to supporting them transition from care into their adult lives, so they can live a happy and healthy life independently.
Up and down the country, House Projects have a 100% success rate in terms of care leavers successfully maintaining their tenancies, and we look forward to supporting our cohorts here in the borough. “
The project is being delivered in partnership with local housing providers including whg and GreenSquareAccord.
A launch event was held earlier this month at the Transition and Care Leaving Hub in Pleck, Walsall. The first cohort of young people are due to start the programme in May.
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