Helping homeless young people in Bridgend County Borough

A council project is supporting homeless young people in developing new skills, find permanent accommodation and ensure they have the best start in life.

Set up using funding from Welsh Government, the Young Persons Project at Glan Ogwr House in Bridgend town centre is being delivered by homeless charity Llamau.

Working with vulnerable 16 and 17 year olds who have been made homeless, it provides 24-hour supported accommodation over a seven week period.

Staff use this time to work closely with the teenagers, helping them develop their independence and learn essential life skills. They also carry out assessments of their future needs and support them in finding somewhere to live, access training opportunities and achieve new qualifications.

The self-contained premises at Glan Ogwr House were previously used for supported accommodation and have been extensively refurbished for the new project.

With a separate entrance and full CCTV system in place, it houses only two young people at a time in order to enable staff to carry out intensive work designed to maximise the chances of success.

The services provided by Glan Ogwr House are hugely important, and can make the difference between a young person ending up living rough on the streets or finding a home, training and work.

Despite the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, work is ongoing, and it is encouraging to see how it is proving to be of major support for homeless young people in Bridgend County Borough.

Councillor Dhanisha Patel, Cabinet Member for Well-Being and Future Generations