Strategic Plan
There are 14 million 14-30 year olds living in the UK today. As many as 1 in 5 will experience disadvantage because they lack the skills, resources and opportunities to take control of their lives and realise their potential as active and engaged young citizens.
The reasons for this are complex. Some young people have grown up in the care system, some have experienced family breakdown or have themselves become parents in their teens. Many have to fend for themselves before they have had the opportunity to build the skills and resources they need to face the challenges of adult life. Their experience of the transition to adulthood is often characterised by fragmented services that kick in when they are in crisis but leave them with little or no ongoing support.
The wider social policy and service delivery environment is characterised by change and economic uncertainty which will affect on the way in which services for vulnerable young people develop over the coming years. 15 years of experience tells us that the needs of young people are becoming increasingly complex. Crime and anti-social behaviour, poor health and well-being, low educational achievement and aspiration, rising debt and declining social mobility are as much a concern for young people now as street homelessness was in the 1990s. Evidence suggests a society struggling to cope with economic and cultural change and its implications for young people. We do not seem to be able to equip our young people with the skills and resources they need to face the challenge of growing up in a complex and changing society.
We believe the holistic ‘Foyer' approach has much to offer this group of young people and should not be constrained within a particular type of supported housing. We are increasingly focusing on ways in which the model can be adapted and used to create a strong asset base among a wider group of vulnerable young people, enabling them to build the resilience they need to meet the challenges of the future.
You can download the Foyer Federation's Strategic Plan for 2008 - 2011 here.