Ambition East Midlands

Concluding in January 2018, The Y is delighted to have exceeded targets.

  • 119 young people registered with The Y
  • 106 were helped to find accommodation with 67% sustaining their tenancy for at least 18 months
  • 48 entered work with 44% sustaining at least 6 months in full time employment

Ambition East Midlands is an innovative ‘housing first’ support project focussing on homeless young adults who are unable to access existing services. Launched in January 2015, this three year project ensures that vulnerable 18–24 year olds have a secure home from which to build their aspirations for employment and learning.  The project is now closed to new referrals.

Intensive Support

Each young adult referred to Ambition has a dedicated link worker providing intensive, personalised support that begins by helping them find a stable place to live. Over the three years they are supported to sustain their tenancy and develop the skills and confidence to enter employment, education, training or volunteering. They also have somewhere to turn for help with wider life issues such as budgeting, health, offending, drug and alcohol addiction or relationships.

Read Joe’s Story

Outcomes

The success of the project is measured on the basis of long-term housing and a combination of learning and development opportunities completed.

  • Accommodation: The young adult will be established in safe, suitable accommodation, sustained for 3 to 18 months and beyond
  • Education: Entry into education or training with accredited qualifications
  • Employment: Full time or part time employment taken up or volunteering placements undertaken

In our first year we registered 119 homeless young adults aged between 18-25. 68% were housed and 37% entered into some form of employment, education or volunteering work with the support of Business In The Community (BITC).

About Ambition East Midlands

Ambition East Midlands is an exciting partnership between P3 Charity, YMCA Derbyshire and The Y, who are leading on the project in Leicester and Leicestershire. A significant contribution is being made by local housing, education and other support organisations, enabling expertise to be joined up and individualised to get the best outcomes for young vulnerable adults.

Ambition East Midlands was awarded £2.95m from the Fair Chance Fund which is jointly funded by the Cabinet Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government. As it is a payment by results programme we had to raise funds in advance. We worked with Triodos Bank to offer a Social Impact Bond, one of the first to qualify for the newly introduced Social Investment Tax Relief, which raised £100k from individual investors. We also attracted financial backing from Big Issue Invest and Key Fund.