19 June 2009

Local MP praises Torfaen Hostel for the Homeless

Torfaen MP, Paul Murphy, has praised the excellent work of a Pontypool homeless hostel for young people during a recent constituency visit.

Mr Murphy visited Hales House, the homelessness centre for young people aged 16-24, and has praised the good work and determination of both its staff and service-users.

Hales House is run by Solas Cymru, part of the Seren Group, and provides temporary accommodation and support for 20 young homeless people from the Torfaen area for a period of six months at a time.

The visit included a tour of the facilities at Hales House where Mr Murphy had the chance to meet the young people who rely on the support and guidance offered to them by Solas.

Following his tour Paul Murphy, said: "It was a pleasure to visit such an excellent and worthwhile project, and to see the good work being done to help young homeless people in Torfaen. The workers and volunteers there make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable young people, and for that I congratulate them. As well as giving them somewhere safe to live, the work that they do to build confidence and develop skills is impressive. It was also good to hear about the work that they have done to reassure local residents."

Rhian Stone, corporate director of Solas Cymru said: " We’re proud of the achievements of Hales House and how it has helped young homeless people throughout Torfaen. It’s a pleasure to show Paul around so he can see first hand the difference we’re making to young lives and the work we do in engaging them within the community . At Solas, our focus is on making a positive contribution to the wellbeing of individuals through housing, support and other services."

The house is made up of self-contained flats with cooking facilities, and there are also some communal areas. When the project first opened its doors, there were around 300 homeless young people in the area, many of whom had been placed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation as far away as Bristol.

The hostel, which was funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, is staffed 24 hours a day and is managed by Solas Cymru, part of the Seren Group, a voluntary organisation which runs hostels and provides support to young homeless people across Gwent.

Solas’ wide range of accommodation and support services are to designed to empower people to unlock their potential by providing opportunities to learn new skills and interests. Solas actively encourage clients to develop the skills and attributes that will prepare them for a return to work and make them more attractive to prospective employers.

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