Helping disadvantaged young adults prepare for employment

Abstract

The 800 homeless young people that live with Centrepoint each day are amongst the most socially excluded and disadvantaged in the UK. Many of the young people Centrepoint supports have left home early as a result of abuse, neglect, family breakdown, drugs or depression. Many have been in care or prison and have not had the benefit of family support and encouragement. At school most were regular truants who did not achieve well, left school early or were excluded and generally had bad experiences within formal education. Around one in ten has a known mental health need and an increasing number are refugees with language, cultural and isolation obstacles to overcome, and qualifications that are not recognised in the UK.