Society says thanks a million Halifax for helping youth homelessness

The Society’s branch, on Corn Market, has raised £2,528 for EYH in the three and a half year partnership that has helped over 455 young people and 95 dependent children into their own rented homes.

EYH is a national movement of local charities working together to end youth homelessness in the UK.

An estimated 110,000 young people in the UK were homeless or at risk of homelessness last year including 235 young people in Calderdale who contacted their local authority in 2018/19.*

By funding the Rent Deposit Scheme, providing rental deposit guarantees, initial rent payments and home essentials grants, the partnership gave practical help to homeless young people (aged 16 to 25) across the UK that were ready to live independently.

The money has been raised through activities such as colleague fundraising, public donations, innovative savings accounts and donations from Yorkshire Building Society.

Lizzie Szpara, manager of the Halifax branch of Yorkshire Building Society, said: “I want to thank everyone in the community here in Halifax that has supported our partnership with End Youth Homelessness. This has enabled us to help hundreds of homeless young people move into their own homes and provide them with the support they need to rebuild their future. Through our partnership, we’ve helped young people to overcome some of the enormous financial barriers to living independently like rental deposits, the first month’s rent, or household essentials and furniture.”

EYH charities collectively work with over 30,000 young people who are amongst the most deprived in the country.

Nicholas Connolly, Managing Director for End Youth Homelessness, said: “The partnership between Yorkshire Building Society and End Youth Homelessness was about housing homeless young people, plain and simple. We have created a brilliant service that really works for homeless young people and a blue print for scaling other great local services.

“We are incredibly proud of this partnership and its legacy is hardwired into our future with the End Youth Homelessness Housing Fund, which builds on the partnership’s Rent Deposit Scheme. The hugely successful fundraising by Yorkshire Building Society will fund its first year of operation. We want to say a huge thank you to colleagues and customers at the Society for their support, which has helped change the lives of homeless young people.”