Life at the Foyer
Young people move into the Foyer, one of the Oasis hostels in South London, for a variety of reasons. It could be that their home lives have been troubled, that they have suffered abuse or had a family breakdown.
Initially, the lifestyle of new residents can be incredibly chaotic and staff are on hand to teach residents the skills they will need for independent living such as cookery, washing and cleaning. Every resident is allocated a Key Worker, who meets with them regularly to monitor their progress, talk through their needs, and assist them with accessing future education, employment and housing.
Helping a resident to overcome the obstacles in their life and prepare them for independent living takes patience, time and a lot of care. But the rewards of this process are long-lasting, and make a huge difference to the lives of the residents, as Katie, one of our current residents, explains:
"I moved into the Foyer about four months ago. I wasn't in any other hostel before the Foyer, and moving here was, and still is, an experience! There is a different atmosphere here. When I moved in, everyone was very friendly, and I felt safe.
When I heard I would have to meet with a Key Worker, I wondered what there would be to talk about. And I didn't really know how they could help me, or whether I'd feel comfortable talking to them.
But over the time I've been here, I have changed in quite a big way. I've actually been up to date in paying my rent*, which is a first! I've become more independent and have become better at handling my money and budgeting well. I have learnt a lot of new skills.
I'm at College at the moment, just about to complete my last year. I hope to go to university after that to study building surveying.
I think the biggest challenge with moving out of the Foyer will be not having someone to talk to for advice, and missing the support and friendliness that is here. The Foyer has definitely helped me in a lot of ways. It has helped me feel as though I'm ready to move on in my life."
*Residents at the Foyer pay a small amount of rent every month. This means they become used to paying regular bills, and helps them to understand the need for effective budgeting.
Kate's name has been changed.