About the Organisation
Aberdeen Foyer is on a mission to end youth homelessness and prevent and alleviate the impact of poverty on young people and adults across northeast Scotland. Child poverty is increasing, and global pandemic continues to impact generating heightened social, political and economic uncertainty. We exist to create positive and lasting change working alongside people experiencing tough life challenges and the wider system to address and prevent the root causes of poverty and youth homelessness across local communities in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Our vision is for people to thrive, feel connected and included in their community, where everyone has a safe, decent place to call home and access to resources to live a good life. We offer a holistic approach creating opportunity for people to have, and exercise, choice in their lives. Each of our services offers support to address significant challenges people might be facing and inspiration and resources to shape their own future. By wrapping around the people who use our services, we navigate and change the system with them, based on their needs and aspirations. We provide a variety of integrated programmes and services which combine to provide support for young people and adults around 5 key areas:
- Youth Housing
- Learning
- Employability
- Mindsight and Wellbeing
- Community
Aberdeen Foyer have identified a real need for affordable housing for young people who are starting out in employment, training or education. There are currently long waiting lists for social housing for young people and the private rental market in Aberdeen means that for most young people there are little options for housing. Coincidently there are a vast number of empty and unused homes in Aberdeen due to very high rents or private rentals in disrepair.
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Aberdeen Foyer have started to build relationships with the Empty Homes Officer at Aberdeen Council, who has identified potential owners who might be interested in providing long term leases to them at a reduced rent. In return, AF will support with the renovations, as many owners are not in a financial position to get the properties up to a lettable standard. AF will request an 8-year lease in line with the funding they have received from LandAid, to support 6 new bedspaces, providing college ready young people with the next step to move forward. The properties will be available for up to 2 years and will include young people that fall out of the usual commissioned service category.
Aberdeen Foyer is now at the stage where they want to approach the owners who have been identified, but they need some advice about what might be involved and the type of lease that would be required. They have secured funding for a staff member to oversee this project and would like to get support in place for when they start receiving offers acting as pre-advice before committing to any arrangements.
Aberdeen Foyer would therefore welcome support with the property / lease negotiations and advice about how to present their requirements to potential landlords.
Timeline
ASAP