In May 2024, Joanies fund made an award to The Amber Foundation to fund a bed space at Farm Place in Ockley, Surrey for two young people who faced homelessness.

The Amber Foundation supports young adults (aged 18-30) facing complex problems and offers homeless support to transform their lives by helping them move away from homelessness, out of unemployment and work towards better, brighter and healthier futures.

At their centres in Devon, Wiltshire, Surrey and Kent; they provide much more than a safe place to stay. Alongside a temporary home, every young person who stays at Amber receives personalised support and are given the opportunity to develop new skills and experiences and have time to focus on themselves. They are equipped to move on positively and independently to a job, a place in education or training and most importantly of all a safe, sustainable place to call home.

At Farm Place young adults work in teams under the guidance of Team Leaders and take part in community projects, leadership courses, personal fitness and outdoor activities. They participate in art, drama, music, sport and many other enjoyable activities that fill their days and evenings with positive confidence-building experiences. There is a lot of emphasis on employment readiness and opportunities for work experience with local companies including Weinerberger brick makers, Ringway Highway Maintenance and a local cut flower farm.

Team Leaders at Farm Place deliver a wide breadth of workshops for the young people in the supported programme across Amber’s four strands of work; employability, health & wellbeing, independent living skills and personal development.  These include:

• CV and letter writing skills
• work experience
• volunteering
• mock interviews
• team building exercises
• working in the allotments at Farm Place
• outward bound activity days
• VIY (Volunteer-It-Yourself) gaining skills
• healthy boundaries
• art therapy workshops
• forest bathing in the Surrey Hills
• learning to cook, clean and do laundry

Of the 97 young people who stayed at Farm Place last year. 69 moved forward, with 41 doing so successfully, with 11 moving into full-time permanent employment, two into college and 28 achieving a major goal, such as a Level 2 qualification.

To learn more about how Amber transform lives, visit their website at https://amberweb.org/