We continue with our feature series, focusing on different Foyers from around the UK. This month we feature the Exeter Foyer and its X-centre training facility.
This month's Foyer piece focuses on Exeter Foyer in Devon, which has been providing affordable supported housing to 16-35 year-old homeless and vulnerable young people since 2001. They take referrals from various agencies or from individuals who drop in, and currently house 36 young people.
The aim is to move the young people from dependence to independence by offering residents basic skills training. The Foyer provides help with everything from cooking to maintaining a tenancy, from literacy to interview skills. It is a requirement that the young people staying in the Foyer are actively involved in the support offered to them.
Exeter Foyer is owned and managed by the Guinness Trust Group, one of England's largest housing associations. The Trust is a charity and prides itself on taking the long-term approach to providing good quality housing and supporting lasting communities. Edward Cecil Guinness, great grandson of the founder of the Guinness brewery, founded the Trust in 1890.
Exeter Foyer's X-centre is a training facility used by the residents of the Foyer, but is also open to the public. The centre was completed in November 2003 and built on the foundations of an old corn mill dating back to 1220. The Foyer's Personal Development Award is a course for people who have no qualifications and want to be able to start college, look for a job, or simply find a direction. By signing up to the profile, residents are granted access to almost all the X-centre facilities for free, including broadband Internet, music and video equipment, a fitness instructor, essential skills tuition, IT, advice on diet and health, and more.
The X-centre also runs a variety of workshops, like climbing, canoeing, arts, photography and film, building, and mechanics. The centre recently had a video workshop where young people had the opportunity to showcase their skills at dancing, rapping and singing, poetry recital, and documentary making. The videos produced by the young people were put together to form the centre's Annual Review CD-Rom.
The X-Centre seeks funding both for individual workshops, and long-term projects. Their focus is upon breaking down social, economic and cultural barriers to education and training. So far they have worked with Devon Youth Association, Connexions, Wolf & Water, Youth Offending Team, Working Links, Exeter Phoenix, Music Angel, Exeter Respect and Exeter Drug and Alcohol Project. Working Links also has an office in the X-centre.
The X-centre has a fully equipped 70 square metre conference room, where Exeter Foyer recently hosted the launch of the Foyer Federation's life coaching programme. The event marked the beginning of a national partnership between the Foyer Federation and Currys, the UK's largest electrical retailer, who is supporting the life coaching initiative. The event also showcased the work of young people living in the Foyer.
The Foyer life coaching programme will take the increasingly popular life coaching support model and reshape it for those most in need. It will use professional expertise as a way to inspire young people to make more informed choices that support their life experiences whilst leading to employment and economic well-being.
Foyer in Focus is contributed by the Foyer Federation. For further information, contact Louise Meincke, Policy and Communications Officer - louise@foyer.net; Tel. 020 7430 2212.
For more information about the X-centre, go to www.x-centre.net/index.htm.
