Teen’s success story as he becomes Centrepoint’s student of the year

Samsom, 18, came to the UK in 2023 as an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child after fleeing Eritrea. His journey took him through Ethiopia, Libya, Italy and France, where he spent weeks rough sleeping before eventually crossing the Channel by boat.

Explaining why he made the journey, he said he wanted to learn English and believed the UK would offer better opportunities for young people. He explained, “I was homeless when I travelled from Libya to Italy. I had nothing.”

When he arrived in Britain, aged just 16, he was placed with a foster family before moving into supported accommodation, thanks to the youth homelessness charity, Centrepoint.

As a result, he developed greater independence and confidence in his daily life, including cooking, shopping, and attending important medical appointments on his own. He was also able to undergo surgery that improved sight in his right eye. “Centrepoint helped me manage my health and supported me in undergoing an operation to restore my vision,” he said.

Now studying English and maths, Samsom has made remarkable progress, including being awarded Student of the Year by his college. He later also received an Educational Excellence Award at Centrepoint’s annual ceremony, recognising outstanding achievement among young people.

Reflecting on his accomplishments, her said, “I will do more next year than I did this year. I feel happy, I feel proud”.

Growing Food Poverty Among Homeless Young People, Centrepoint Reports

Centrepoint, the youth homelessness charity, has warned of rising food poverty among vulnerable young people after issuing 314 emergency food vouchers in the first three months of 2026 alone compared with 1,095 across the whole of last year.

The scheme provides rapid support, often within an hour, helping young people access essentials during periods of crisis. Nearly a quarter of those seeking help are homeless, including rough sleepers and young people forced to sofa surf.

The charity said many struggling to afford food are either working or receiving benefits yet still cannot cover basic living costs. Around 8% are employed but earn too little to get by, while 5.7% rely entirely on welfare payments. Almost a third reported going without food for at least a day because of financial hardship.

A spokesperson said the support allows young people to “focus on rebuilding their lives instead of worrying about their next meal.”

”We Can’t Do This Alone”

Last year, over 118,000 young people faced homelessness. That’s one young person every four minutes. At a time of life when most of their peers are trying new things and taking their first steps into adulthood, these young people found themselves alone and afraid, and unsure where to turn.   

It doesn’t have to be like this, with the right support at the right time, these young people can escape homelessness or avoid it altogether.   

At Centrepoint, provide more than a bed for the night. We provide a safe place to rebuild, support into education and work, and the confidence to believe in a better future.   

Youth homelessness is not inevitable. With the right help at the right time, it can be prevented and it can be ended.   

Our mission is to end youth homelessness – and you can help us.   

Whether it’s running a marathon or holding a sleep out, you, your friends, family and co-workers can join our movement to end youth homelessness and give vulnerable young people a brighter future.  

To find out more, donate or get involved, please visit our website http://www.centrepoint.org.uk/newspaper

”Invisible barriers prevent young people from accessing jobs“

(Image: Centrepoint)

A man supported by the youth homelessness charity, Centrepoint, has opened up about his employment struggles, saying there are “so many invisible barriers” between him and finding work.  

Josh, 23, came to Centrepoint two years ago and currently lives in supported housing.  

He has applied for hundreds of jobs and has found the experience incredibly difficult. “It’s been horrible. There are so many invisible barriers when it comes to getting employed that most people aren’t taught about or don’t even know exist.”  

“It’s those ones which are the hardest to overcome, not the ones you can see. It’s really frustrating because you want to work, yet no matter how hard you try, there just aren’t the opportunities.   

Currently, there are over one million young people in the country who are not employed, in education or in training. A government report, released in June, warned this could rise by a quarter without urgent action.   

A second report on the issue is due out later this year.   

For Josh, after two years of searching and tirelessly working with Centrepoint’s Jobs, Employment and Training team, he finally found a 3-month placement as a Barista and will soon be starting an internship with the company that helped him start it.   

He said: “It’s been great to find a rhythm. I feel really productive and my confidence has just grown. I was so desperate to start work again and I really believe this has given me a platform to build from.   

A new job now means Josh can look to get a home of his own, he said: “I started the process but while I was out of work I paused for a little bit. This new opportunity means I can start planning to move out pretty soon.   

He’s also got his eyes on going into business: “I’d also like to start my own media company, which has been my dream since I was quite young. A new job means I’m one step closer to that. For example, it’s allowed me to get a new PC, so I can do some rendering and stuff like that but it’s only the start.   

“I just want to be in a position where I can help as many people as possible.”  

On how Centrepoint has helped him, Josh said: “It’s given me the security of knowing I have somewhere to live and that if I’m having other problems, such as not being able to find a job, then I don’t have to worry about it as much.   

“They’ve helped with my finances, my employment, and I’m just really grateful. It gave me stability at a time when I needed it the most.”

Hopes to ‘normalise’ sensory differences with specialised boxes

(Image: Centrepoint)

Youth homelessness charity Centrepoint is working with the cardfactory foundation to support young people and staff with sensory differences. 

Those behind the idea hope it will ‘normalise’ sensory differences. Marc Pescod, Educational Psychologist, at Centrepoint said: “It’s to form a culture.  

“People worry about being different, but seeing others doing the same can remove barriers that make us feel distracted, uncomfortable and unhappy.  

“It can allow us to bring people down to a place where they feel more comfortable in spaces that they deserve to be in.”  

The boxes are filled with a range of objects such as putty, bean bags, colourful rubber balls, and even a large soft toy animal which can be held during support sessions.   

It also comes with an information sheet that explains what’s in the box and who to contact if staff have questions.   

Marc added: “We all have sensory needs but different tolerances to it.

“Reducing these barriers means someone can focus on other barriers they find challenging in their life and if a sensory box is the difference between a young person doing their maths exam or opening up then that’s a huge difference.”

Pushpinder Gill, head of the cardfactory Foundation, concluded: “Every young person deserves to feel a sense of belonging and dignity, particularly during challenging periods in their lives. 

“We’re proud to support Centrepoint as they continue to develop practical solutions that help young people build confidence, overcome challenges and reach their full potential.”