Foyer celebrated the launch of a new partnership with Currys, part of DSG international, at Exeter Foyer's X Centre.
The partnership will support the development of a new life coaching model for young people living in Foyers, taking the increasingly popular life coaching support model, accessible to the privileged in our society, and reshaping it for those most in need.
The partnership forms part of DSG international's Switched On Communities programme, which aims to support disadvantaged communities and groups through the provision of technology and training.
Foyer's Chief Executive Jane Slowey said: "Homeless young people are some of the most excluded in society, so I am delighted that this new partnership will help combat technological exclusion amongst young people in Foyers."
The Foyer life coaching project 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.
The All Party Parliamentary Group on Foyers hosted the launch of two research reports at the House of Commons:
The research was funded and commissioned by the Housing Corporation, Diageo and the Countryside Agency. The aim of the reports was to evaluate the Foyer network and the contribution it makes to the lives of disadvantaged young people. The reports highlight the diversity of Foyers - no two Foyers look the same - and Foyer ethos, which runs as a common thread through the network.
Launch Pad for Life demonstrates the positive role Foyers play in their local communities, and that they are value for money.
The groundbreaking What Happened Next? report highlights the invaluable work of Foyers in helping young people fulfil their potential through learning and training. Fifty young people have also agreed to have their National Insurance Numbers tracked, representing a real opportunity to demonstrate the longitudinal impact of Foyer provision.
Ten Foyer residents made their way to Foyles bookshop in Central London from as far afield as Aberdeen, Liverpool and Scarborough. They were the winners of Foyer Verse, a poetry competition for young people living in Foyers across the UK. It has been set up by the Federation's new Policy and Innovation Department to help celebrate and encourage young people's writing. Foyer Verse stands as a legacy from Carolyn Hayman, the Foyer Federation's former Chief Executive, who asked for the scheme to be funded on her departure.
The ten winners were invited to attend a poetry workshop with Whitbread Award winning poet Paul Farley, and in the evening recited their work at an event attended by a wide range of opinion formers.
Foyer strongly believes that the arts have the power to transform lives and can be a key tool in helping disadvantaged and socially excluded young people to a springboard into independent living, learning and work.
Foyer Verse serves to give young people an opportunity to develop their abilities and confidence, and highlight the obstacles facing them as young people living in Foyers, as well as the obstacles they have overcome. The poem below by Andrew McGonnagle is an example of this:
New Beginnings
At this time I only exist
Just a soul out there wandering in the mist
I want to start living again, to have a good life
Instead of constantly dodging the knife
That always seems to be aimed at my back
Its time to give this drug life the sack
Start again from fresh beginnings
Instead of this fight I'm never winning
I'll take it one day at a time, just wait and see
Soon I'll be the new positive me
Being optimistic and looking to the future
Instead of facing this daily torture
So where do I stand just now
I can wallow in self pity, but wait, wow
I'm bigger than that, I want to take on this task
To stand tall and be proud, there's questions to ask
Like who's going to stop me being who I'm going to be
No one, not even the old me
All the poems entered into the competition can be viewed at www.giveusavoice.net.
