Homeless Helpline: BT hosts celebratory event to launch groundbreaking phone service

Centrepoint residents, trustees and staff celebrated the launch of the Young and Homeless Helpline on Monday with a reception at the BT Tower.

The event, sponsored by BT, marked the start of the first nationwide Freephone for people aged 16 to 25-years-old who are facing homelessness.

The helpline, launched through an Evening Standard charity appeal – in partnership with the Independent and the i newspaper- will offer support and guidance about finding accommodation for desperate young people across the UK.

Our four month-long campaign saw £3.25 million raised – meaning the helpline’s staff and volunteers can get to work, delivering help to those who most need it.

At the celebratory event held last week, Centrepoint Chief Executive Seyi Obakin thanked Londoners for their generosity and praised them for turning the helpline into a reality.

Suzy Christopher, charity and community director, said: “The BT Tower event was a fantastic way to celebrate the launch of the new Centrepoint helpline and recognise the hard work put in my so many people.

“BT is pleased to be funding the helpline for the first three years so that even more of the funds raised can help run the service, and fund the much needed support programmes.’

The helpline will run from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Callers will receive a personalised plan to help them navigate their situation – staff answering calls trained to understand housing law and provision.

Some 150,000 young people approach councils asking for help with housing every year, but many more who need advice don’t even make it that far. Centrepoint found that more than half of young people said they didn’t know where to find information.

The Helpline is a giant step forward for stopping vulnerable young people ever finding themselves with nowhere to go.