States asked to support young tenants at risk

The States has been asked to provide £57,000 to help give young, vulnerable people a start in life as they take on their first tenancy in Guernsey.

The grant would be used to help Action for Children provide support services for people living at seven new flats in a property in St Peter Port.

The charity has secured £2m in grants and Deputy Steve Williams said the government money would support "young people in those properties in helping with life skills, getting on the straight and narrow and sustaining their tenancy and getting into the big wide world".

He said it was essential as the service would stop without the funding for the tenants, 60% of whom had been in care.

Deputies Williams and Sasha Kazantseva-Miller filed an amendment to the budget asking for the money to help fund operating costs, which will be considered in November.

They said the service supported 67 young people in 2025 and had seen "a notable increase in the number of referrals".

Over the last five years, all residents re-housed from training flats into social housing had successfully maintained their own tenancy, the deputies said.

They added a "comparatively modest" outlay from the government represented "exceptional value for money".

Aaron Davies, service manager at the charity Action for Children, said the organisation was grateful to the Housing Committee for its "continued commitment to our services".

It said: "This amendment means we can ensure the long-term sustainability of the vital Guernsey Youth & Housing Project and will help ensure that young people who are affected by homelessness or housing insecurity continue to have access to the stability, support, and opportunities they need to build brighter futures.

"By providing much-needed accommodation alongside tailored support, we can give young people the time, guidance, and resilience they need to thrive, while creating lasting benefits for both the individuals we support and the wider community."

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