The aim of Barnet Homes’ Get Real housing scheme offers shared accommodation and ongoing support to young people who have a commitment to education, training or employment.
By offering a flat-share rather than the social isolation of temporary single-bed units, Get Real aims to give young people who are no longer able to live at home with their own families support to finish their education or training and live independently.
One of the very first ‘housemates’ from the 2013 Get Real scheme, Temi Mwale, was recently listed in the hugely influential Forbes Europe ’30 under 30′ list.
In 2011, the former Grahame Park Estate resident started a charity to address youth violence and promote positive opportunities for young people called Get Outta Da Gang, which has now been re-branded as 4Front. Temi is currrently studying Law at the London School of Economics. Her fellow housemate Raisa Niamat also gained her independence and trained as a carpenter.
So we are delighted to announce that the latest property in the Get Real scheme has just opened in West Hendon with five rooms. Three young residents have already moved in.
The goal of the scheme is to produce semi-independent young people and of the young people on the scheme 100% are making a community contribution, with three in education, five in employment and one on an apprenticeship.
Supporting the young people on the scheme involves mediating with families and teaching independence, budgeting and life skills.
Barnet Homes’ newly appointed Get Real project co-ordinator Noreen Theophile says: “I’ve made a successful Innovation Fund bid to go towards cleaning products which can work out expensive for those on very low incomes and I’m exploring other ways of using the fund to assist these vulnerable young residents. We’re currently exploring ways in which to move these young people on from the scheme and become enough to lead independent lives.”
Pictured: Temi and Raisa, the young people who lived in our first Get Real scheme in 2013