Saltley Foundation Centre

The Cornerstone Foundation Centre has been providing accommodation and Life Skills training to young homeless people for over 20 years in Saltley, Birmingham.

During this time, over 200 young people have found a temporary home there. They have learnt to budget their expenditure, cook and clean, attend to their personal hygiene, washing and ironing, as well as how to find employment, be a good neighbour and make lasting friendships. Often these young people have previously been caught up in the 'revolving door' syndrome, but we are pleased to have helped some of our residents get settled in independence.

Staff provide 24/7 support and are available to disucss issues and to be a friend through an often very difficult time. We believe that although we may only see small steps towards independence, better self-esteem and an interest in developing themselves, these small steps do count.

Cornerstone wants to be more than accommodation and training. Therefore, staff take residents away on a subsidised holiday once a year to our Quest Achievement Centre in North Wales. This is a great opportunity for young people to have experiences they would otherwise go without, and build team dynamics within the group.

We are also in the process of setting up a Music Lab which will be kitted out with guitars, a keyboard, drum kit and mixing decks. We believe this will greatly help these young people to express themselves in a positive way. We are excited about the outcomes of this new project, thanks to the Arts Council and a few very genreous local Trusts.