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It is one of the six big projects that Point and Sandwick Trust have pledged to support every year with their annual £500,000 profits from Beinn Ghrideag, Bethesda being another.

 

Rebecca Mahony, project leader for Foyer, said the money will make an “enormous impact” for its work.

 

She added: “There is a local perception that there isn’t much homelessness in the Western Isles because you don’t see people sleeping rough but there’s a lot of people of no fixed abode, who are sofa surfing or living in temporary homeless accommodation.

“We work with a wide variety of young people who have nowhere to call home including young people who are leaving care placements, locally or on the mainland, or who are unable to remain at home with their parents or carers.

 

Point and Sandwick Trust general manager Donald John MacSween said: “Foyer is Western Isles wide, addressing a key area for us which is helping young adults who are homeless or in housing need, with supported accommodation, preparation for employment, health and social issues.”

 

He added: “I was their first CEO so for me it’s particularly important that we are now in a position to help Foyer to enable them to carry on the good work that they already do.”

 

Foyer was set up in 2003 in response to recognition that young people were becoming homeless, whether that was for failing to pay their rent, antisocial behaviour or other reasons.

 

It initially provided a supported accommodation service and expanded by creating a drop-in service and helping young people develop the skills they need, from cooking to budgeting, to be able to successfully live on their own. It also assists them move into education, training and employment.

 

The organisation currently has 10 self-contained one-bedroom flats in its supported accommodation service, all owned by Hebridean Housing Partnership.

 

Over the last year Foyer supported more than 75 young people across all its services. The drop-in service is run from the charity’s base at 36 Bayhead in Stornoway and is open Monday to Friday.

 

Foyer also run monthly service user nights and invite guest speakers along to talk about issues relevant to the young people. The events are aimed at reducing social isolation and encouraging positive peer networks.

 


 

 

Young people’s charity helped by windfarm donation  

29 December 2016

A charity which helps homeless young islanders can look forward to a brighter New Year thanks to a £15,000 donation from Point and Sandwick Trust.

 

The donation is the first half of the £30,000 which Western Isles Foyer will get every year from the wind farm charity.

 

Foyer helps people in the Outer Hebrides who are aged between 16 and 25 years and “homeless, in housing need or otherwise significantly socially disadvantaged.”

 

Youth homelessness in the Western Isles: How Megan was helped to turn her life around