Claire* started work as a healthcare assistant while living in supported accommodation at EveryYouth’s partner charity, St Basils.

Thanks to Project Flourish, created in collaboration with global service provider Hays, she requested £150 to buy work clothes from Primark. Her travel into work was covered by a three-month grant from the West Midlands Travel Company. 

Increased rent at her supported accommodation and long travel distances (over an hour and a half each day), meant that she was keen to move out. An opportunity arose to enter a ‘Live and Work’ scheme – an initiative offering quality, low cost housing to young people for up to two years by her employer. The rent is 50% cheaper than a private tenancy. 

Claire moved into this accommodation seven months after starting her job and asked if she could utilise Project Flourish’s SuperBoost bursary towards furnishing her flat. She accessed £860 towards a sofa, table and chest of drawers. She still had access to more than £1,000 of the remaining bursary which she would like to put towards two months’ rent. 

Claire is doing well and enjoying the job. Her employer does not have a set probationary period – instead they have continual review meetings. As she has been employed for more than a year, Claire has been marked as having passed her probation.

Her employment coach reports that she is doing well and is very happy in her work and flat. 

*Not real name. 

Find out more about Project Flourish.