星空传媒

The Homerton Space Project in Hackney, east London, was set up to help young homeless people who had disclosed various family problems to their youth club.

It was set up by a group of Christians from the Hackney Marsh Team of Anglican churches.

At the time they had a vacant vicarage and approached Newlon Housing Group, who supported the initiative by buying the property.

In February 1986 the first two residents moved into the newly converted hostel for young people.

The project has 11 beds and provides a safe and supportive environment where single, homeless people aged 17-19 can work through some of the problems that led to them becoming homeless.

The project encourages personal development, through keywork meetings, house meetings and the learning of life skills to prepare them for independence.

The young people are given responsibility and treated in a mature way. They are helped with budgeting their income, encouraged to use their time in a constructive way, to take part in activities in the project and to manage their newly found independence in the knowledge that staff are there to help them if they have any difficulties.

A number of young people have gone on to study at degree level and are now working as teachers, social workers; one person works as a reporter for the BBC.

What makes the project so special is its positive impact. Even after clients leave and are resettled back in the community, they still keep in contact because they want to share what is going on in their lives with the staff.

Although agencies are being pushed into becoming larger, being small has been significant in the work at this project. It's a safety net that young people feel they can always come back to.