A home. A fresh start. A future. Support Project Nest this Christmas.

The Independent’s Christmas Appeal, Project Nest, is supporting EveryYouth to transform derelict properties into safe, ultra-affordable homes for young people facing homelessness. With a place to call home and the support they need to thrive, young people can build a future they can be proud of.

Young people on the brink of homelessness, or those who have already experienced it, have often faced childhood trauma and poverty. These realities disrupt their education, damage their mental health and undermine their confidence. For young people without savings or family to fall back on, moving forward can feel out of reach.

Moving into work can bring its own challenges: young people in supported housing can face changes to their support, while those earning a salary can still struggle to afford private rents. Project Nest breaks that cycle with ultra-affordable, no-deposit homes where young people can live for up to two years, keep a job, save and get support to move into independent living. 

Project Nest also responds to a second problem: the rise of long-term empty, dilapidated homes. Hundreds of thousands of properties across the UK now stand empty long-term, many of them left to decay. Rather than building from scratch, the project brings these neglected buildings back into use as homes for young people who need them. It also tackles the multitude of problems associated with property neglect including anti-social behaviour and crime, loss of economic activity and environmental problems.