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South Yorkshire youth homelessness charity Roundabout has launched a new service to support vulnerable young people who are still in education.

Sheffield First Step aims to provide accommodation for six young people who are homeless or at risk on homelessness and in school or college.

The project is being funded by LandAid, the the property industry charity that for more than 30 years has worked to achieve lasting change and strive towards ending youth homelessness.

LandAid helps provide safe, suitable and affordable accommodation which brings young people out of the cycle of homelessness and gives them a positive future.

The new Roundabout service supports young people who are still in education

It achieves this by awarding grants, brokering free property expertise to charities like Roundabout and raising awareness of homelessness.

The properties in Roundabout’s Sheffield First Step project include a selection of furnished, self-contained flats and studios for young people who are visited periodically by a project worker to provide a low level of support.

The intention is that the young people supported by will move on from the project when they go to university.

Eligible young people should be aged between 16 and 25, be either homeless ora at risk of homelessness and be either a college or sixth form student, with a clear, realistic intention of moving on to university.

They should be able to thrive in a self-contained property with no on-site staff support and have an income from work or benefits.

“For more than 40 years, Roundabout has been developing new strategies to support some of the region’s most vulnerable young people,” said project leader Clare Ward.

“Sheffield First Step recognises the fact that to be vulnerable and at risk of homelessness can affect people from many different backgrounds.

“It is a valuable addition to the Roundabout range of services - including Homeless Prevention, Rapid Rehousing and Supporting Tenants - that aim to address individual issues and reduce the risk of a young person becoming at risk of being on the streets.

“We are very pleased that with the support of LandAid we are now able to offer this new programme.”

To find out more about Sheffield First Step and the full range of services provided by Roundabout visit roundabouthomeless.org

New Roundabout service supports young people in education