Four years building better futures at Hope Street
This month marks the fourth anniversary of Hope Street, the innovative accommodation and support project Your Place launched in March 2022.
Using existing space within the Anchor House building, the development has produced fifteen individual rooms, each with their own bathrooms and access to a shared kitchen. Unlike traditional hostel accommodation, Hope Street rooms have been designed to feel like individual homes, emphasising independence, with residents having a space to make their own while working closely with a dedicated support worker to navigate their journey towards independent living.
Hope Street stands out not only its visual style, with each room designed as an individual home on a street, but also for its approach to helping individuals take meaningful steps towards independence. By offering a supportive environment where residents are empowered to build skills, pursue education and secure employment, Hope Street provides a pathway out of homelessness that fosters lasting change and long-term success.
Mustafa is a resident at Hope Street, and came to Your Place after sleeping rough locally for eight months. Although he was understandably nervous when he arrived, he has since found friends and community:
“I can feel that I’m getting more confident. I take pride in my room; keeping my space clean and tidy is important to me. I’ve made friends here, which has made a big difference. It’s helping me feel more at home, so I know that I’m not facing everything on my own anymore.”
Natalie, the senior support worker at Hope Street, supports fifteen residents including Mustafa. She has created numerous opportunities for them, listening to their needs and ensuring they have access to the support required to achieve their personal goals.
Residents are supported to attend or return to college (recent residents have studied English as a Second Language, Maths, IT, and Dressmaking), find jobs, register with GPs, dentists, and other providers. Building communities at all levels ensures that the journey away from homelessness is meaningful and sustainable for each resident’s life beyond Your Place.
Natalie is also dedicated to helping to secure the right accommodation for residents to move into, so they feel supported both during their time at Your Place and after they’ve moved on. 100% of residents who have moved on from Hope Street have successfully sustained their new tenancies. This is a testament to the development of life skills, resilience and the comprehensive support and sense of community offered at Your Place, and more intimately, at Hope Street.
