Hub opens for homeless young adults in Coventry

Pictured L-R: Councillor Pat Seaman, Jean Templeton from St Basils, councillor David Welsh, Lucy Becque from Coventry Building Society, Seyi Obakin from Centrepoint and West Midlands Mayor Andy Street officially open the new Coventry youth hub

A dedicated hub has opened for young adults facing homelessness in Coventry.

The one-stop facility at Harp Place, Sandy Lane, provides support and advice for single people in crisis between the ages of 18 and 24.

Homeless charities St Basils and Centrepoint have joined forces with Coventry Building Society to provide the service.

Coventry City Council said almost 2,000 young people reached out to it for help between April 2022 and March 2023, a 20% increase on the previous year.

Councillor Pat Seaman said the demand showed how vital the hub was.

"Lots of credit needs to go to all those organisations who have played a part in making it happen,” she added.

Representatives from St Basils, the council and partners - including Haven and the probation service - will be on hand to provide advice to service users.

'So sorely needed'

Kip, who was housed and supported by St Basils, said the hub would prove invaluable to young adults in need.

"It would have been so much easier if I only had to tell my story once and not constantly have to relive my past and be extremely vulnerable to strangers," he said.

Seyi Obakin, chief executive at Centrepoint, described pooling resources and working in partnership as key to ending youth homelessness.

"Dedicated hubs like this one, connecting vulnerable young people to a range of holistic services, are so sorely needed not just here but everywhere," he added.

The youth hub forms part of a three-year multi-million pound partnership between Coventry Building Society and Centrepoint.