The Worthing Foyer

The Worthing Foyer
– what you should know
To promote independence in vulnerable young people by
providing safe, good quality and affordable accommodation
with access to support and training.
We help to bridge the gap between living at home and living
independently.
viridianhousing.org.uk

The Worthing Foyer
10 years on
The Worthing Foyer opened its doors to
residents for the first time in 1999 and was
re-accredited by the UK Foyer Federation
in 2008. At the 2008 re-accreditation,
the Foyer received some of the highest
recorded scores for its work with
vulnerable young people.
The Foyer has strong links with Worthing
Borough Council housing department.
We deliver a full ‘move-on’ course to
prepare residents to leave the Foyer,
which covers a range of practical issues
relating to taking on a tenancy. This has
helped us to achieve a good record of
successful move ons through the local
council and the private sector.

The Worthing Foyer
Quick facts and figures
• The Foyer has 27 bedsit rooms with ensuite
shower and toilet and shared kitchen facilities.
• One flat is fully adapted for wheelchair use.
• All residents are required to sign up to an
individual support plan in order to help
them achieve their goals and progress to
independent living.
• Over the 10 years it has been open the Foyer
has helped over 250 young people.
‘A cracking team’ (UK Foyer Federation)
Worthing Foyer has a small but talented and dedicated team.
All residents receive regular key work with a named support
worker as well as support input from the whole team.

Looking to the future…
We provide a range of training opportunities for our residents.
We have close links with local colleges and training providers
and signpost young people to appropriate services where
they can gain experience and further develop their skills.
The local Connexions service runs employability workshops
at our Foyer and a number of in-house skills development
programmes are also on offer.
Over the years we have developed ways of working with
young people based on setting and keeping boundaries
but in a relaxed and informal atmosphere of mutual respect
between us. This approach allows for a safe, supportive and
enabling environment in which young people can be helped
to reach their full potential.

The Worthing Foyer
There is so much we can do…
We believe firmly in taking an all-inclusive approach to
support and training. In this way we help young people to
improve self-esteem, confidence, and communication skills;
residents also benefit from gaining problem-solving and team
work skills, and overall personal development.
Together with our residents we work on developing activities
which will contribute to a sense of community and wellbeing
among everyone who lives and works at the Foyer. Some of
the projects we have delivered have included:
• Creative writing and art workshops
• Formed a five-aside football team that won Worthing
Youth Agency Tournament
• Come dine with me evenings
• Shiatsu and running clubs
And we can still do more
– with you and for you.

What our residents really think…
‘The Foyer is an affordable place for
youngsters in desperate situations and
it’s a supportive atmosphere.’
‘The thing about the Foyer is you get
to meet some really nice new people
and because you live with people of
similar ages you get to make some
really good lifelong friendships.’
‘The Foyer has given me somewhere
stable to live where I can focus
on college and coursework and
eventually, with the stability the
Foyer offers me, I hope to work in the
military.’
‘Before I moved in here I didn’t have
any views about the future – don’t
know what I’d have done if I hadn’t
met my key worker’.
‘I want qualifications – and the Foyer
helped rather than letting me sit
around. I’d recommend it: if you want
help it’s the right place to be.’

The Worthing Foyer
How do I apply?
To become a resident at Worthing Foyer you need to be aged
16 to 25 and a resident in the Worthing area for the past 12
months or three out of the last five years.
You can self refer by contacting
Carly Jenkins
Worthing Borough Council
Portland House
Richmond Road
Worthing
Alternatively referrals can be made by any agency working
with young people in the Worthing area. For further details
about applying or referring to the Foyer, please contact us on
the number below.
Contact details
The Worthing Foyer
52 Shelley Road
Worthing
BN11 4BX
Tel: 01903 208269
Fax: 01903 208218
Email: catherine.brennan@viridianhousing.org.uk
April 2010
Designed by HDi