Homeless Charity To Help More Herts Teens

6 September 2011, 14:00

A Hatfield charity which helps calm family conflicts - is to expand across Hertfordshire - thanks to nearly £399,000 of lottery cash.

Originally set up more than a decade ago, the Herts Young Homeless Group now helps around 150 under 16s every year, in resolving family conflicts, which can often leave the young person out of the home and nowhere to live.

The Big Lottery Fund have awarded the group £389,000 over a 5 year period which will help the group expand to cover all of Hertfordshire - currently they help youngsters in Welwyn Hatfield, St Albans, Hertsmere and parts of East Herts.

Holly Chilton, Under 16s Mediation Service Co-ordination, HYHG said: "This vital funding means that we can continue and develop our service, enabling us to reach even more communities and families than ever.  On behalf of HYHG , and all the many families we will be able to support over the coming years, a big thank you to the Big Lottery Fund".

HYHG  offer free and confidential mediation to help re-build relationships often helping families gain skills in communication so they can start to reduce the conflict themselves.

The Under-16's team is part of the wider charity HYHG - their services are open to all 16–24 year-olds who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.

HYHG provide information and support as well as emergency accommodation through a "Crashpad" scheme and works with other agencies throughout Hertfordshire towards improving local provision and preventing youth homelessness.