Formal Opening of the Young People’s Service in Camden

Following a soft-launch earlier this year, Friday 14 October saw the formal opening of Origin's Young People's Service in Camden's Gough Street.

Origin's new service is aimed specifically at young people between the ages of 16 and 25. The service offers newly refurbished flats and mews houses near Grays Inn Road, WC1.

The tenants live in modern, fully furnished rooms with shared kitchens and bathrooms and a communal yard with sheltered sitting areas for socializing. The flats are vibrantly decorated with young people in mind, with desks and lamps in every bedroom as well as free access to Wi-Fi, providing the tenants with a comfortable environment for studying and job searching.

But, true to Origin’s ethos, the scheme is not only about housing. The young tenants also benefit from support provided by the service manager as well as two support workers, who are present at the site full-time. Each tenant is entitled to two hours of support per week. A risk-assessment and a support plan are agreed upon with each new tenant, outlining the areas the person will need help with. These can be things like signing up for a college course or help with sorting out their benefits, but can also include taking up leisure activities and sports, or help with reaching out to estranged family members.

Security is also of the essence, especially when vulnerable young adults are concerned. The flats are within a gated community with a 24/7 concierge service. The concierges provide all-round security as well as deal with any conflicts or incidents among the tenants.

There are currently 35 young people living in the scheme. Many of them have left foster care or have nowhere to go because of a breakdown in family relations. There are also some who are refugees.

Camden Council nominates the tenants. The referrals are chosen by the Children and Families Social Services Team and would have been assessed as needing the level of support provided by the Camden Young People's Service.
Working alongside Camden Council, Origin Housing enables them to move towards greater independence and leaving the service after 6 to 12 months.

So far, the service has been a great success. Camden Council commented that it’s one of the best schemes they have. The feedback from the residents has also been very positive. Asked about her opinion of the service, one young resident said: “I really like living here because I'm thoroughly independent, having my own flat with my room-mates, but then knowing that there's always staff that I can call and speak to. Also my key-worker is really helpful and really lovely and all the staff here are really nice.”