Aspire Launch

The official opening of a £3.15 million ‘Aspire Young Persons Centre’ for homeless people takes place on Tuesday September 15^th to celebrate the first centre of its kind in Great Yarmouth.

Led by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, the project has brought together twelve partners and funders including The Benjamin Foundation, a charity based in North Walsham that manages the building and provides around-the-clock support.

Set up to help young people aged 16 to 25, Aspire supports people who cannot live at home for a variety of reasons including those previously living in care, sleeping rough, sofa-surfing or staying in temporary bed and breakfasts.

It is the first time there has been specialist provision in Great Yarmouth to provide young, homeless people with accommodation and support to help them eventually move on to their own home.  And it’s clearly a much needed facility as Aspire’s seventeen bedrooms were full within just a fortnight of opening.

The centre provides a supportive environment which empowers residents to gain a better future.  All young people are given a support plan which outlines skills needed to gain employment or access training opportunities.

Residents are also provided with practical skills in order to keep their own home including healthy eating, cooking, cleaning, managing a budget and maintaining a tenancy.

The Aspire building originates from 1830 and was given a new lease of life by Great Yarmouth Borough Council after standing empty for over 15 years.  

The name ‘Aspire’ was chosen by one of its residents, Stacie Raspison, following a competition to name the building which was originally called Bretts after the previous owners’ business.

Stephen Earl, Conservation and Heritage Manager at Great Yarmouth Borough Council who led the conservation project said “This is a splendid reuse of an important group of listed buildings for a vulnerable group of young people. I am very grateful for the support of all the partners and funders.”

Steven Ford, Housing Needs Manager said “The centre is unique to Great Yarmouth”, adding; “It is different to other homeless centres as not only does Aspire deliver supported accommodation to young people but we also have the vision to bring in a number of other agencies under one roof to make future services accessible to all young people in Great Yarmouth.”

Matt Garrod, Operational Manager for Housing and Homelessness at The Benjamin Foundation feels it’s vital for facilities like Aspire, adding; “Aspire will play an instrumental role in helping young people in Great Yarmouth take positive steps towards their future.  For many residents, it is the first time they feel a sense of control over their lives.

Homelessness isn’t just about rooflessness – it’s about a lack of training, educational and employment opportunities and we hope to solve this issue by providing in-house training which bridges the gap to independence and helps young people achieve their full potential.”

Case Study

One of the first residents to move into Aspire was Stacie Raspison, aged 17, who was previously living in a bed and breakfast in Great Yarmouth.

Having lived in foster care between the ages of 13 and 16, she spent a brief spell with her mum but eventually moved back to the town she’d grown up in since the age of eight….Click  here (29Kb) to read more

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