Working My Way Up

Our young people come from all parts of Croydon and have a right and desire to remain in the borough as they build their careers. We aim to realise each young person’s potential and strengthen community ties through the use of local community volunteers.
CAYSH is delivering this project in partnership with CVA and delivers a volunteer mentoring programme to provide homeless young people (16-25) with intensive support in employability. The project aims to improve overall wellbeing and help them to positively contribute to the communities in which they live by gaining and sustaining employment. CAYSH young people are vulnerable and ill equipped to compete in the job market, having experienced trauma in their lives, disrupted education, and lack confidence in articulating their skills. They are supported by our Advice and Support Officers (ASO) for a set number of hours per week, and follow a structured plan leaving little time to practice soft skills. This project provides dedicated support into training and employment, thereby increasing chances of success.

Young People Counselor 

‘’When we hear the word counselling, what do we think of – ‘poor mental health, I don’t need it, its not for me, I don’t want to talk to a stranger about my feelings’….
But what is counselling?  Its essentially a talking therapy that involves a trained therapist listening to you and helping you find ways to deal with emotional issues, through better understating and awareness of your behaviours.
I always like to think of it as creating a relationship with another, a bond or alliance that goes beyond the skin, where a safe, non-judgemental space is creating between 2 people.
The counselling service is specifically aimed at young people and has been developed in direct response to our concern for the mental wellbeing of young people in Croydon, which has been compounded by COVID.
As a Counsellor at CAYSH, I hope to empower young people to have a voice and support them to express their feelings and build positive thoughts about themselves.’’

Life skills workshop

At CAYSH, we strive to empower the lives of youth in our accommodation. We provide advice and support officers that work with young people through a detailed support plan that states steps and goals the young people need to take to achieve their goals. elements of our life skills include

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