Revamped city centre hub to play 'crucial' role in mission to end youth homelessness by 2037
23.07.2022 - 11:47
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A city centre hub at the forefront of the mission to end youth homelessness by 2037 has reopened following a £1.8m revamp. Centrepoint says its refurbished Oldham Street base will offer young people across Greater Manchester a safe, welcoming and inspirational environment in which to recover and grow and leave homelessness behind for good.
The charity’s building has been completely modernised, with changes including secure interview rooms for mental health support, and a new roof garden that provides a space to support young people, especially those who have been traumatised. Its Homelessness Prevention and Relief Service (HPRS) offers support to thousands of 18 to 25-year-olds experiencing or at risk of homelessness every year.
Skills development, mental health and other support services are also all available on site to help young people to get back on their feet. The Northern Quarter hub officially reopened on Friday, having moved to a temporary base in North Parade in March 2020 while the refurbishment was being carried out.
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Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham hailed the overhaul, saying it has left the centre looking 'unrecongisable'. But he says youth homelessness sadly remains 'a very big issue and has become more so through the pandemic'.
"I think there was a situation in the lockdowns where young people who had, let’s say, quite precarious arrangements - sofa surfing - saw those breakdown and there were lots of people who were new to the street.” Mr Burnham - who launched the A Bed Every Night initiative in 2018 - said Centrepoint had been a massive support in city region’s bid to improve the way it supports those
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