CRASH Patrons Help Becky* Build Herself a Better Future

MoCoCo House is a semi-independent living service that provides accommodation and support for residents aged 16 to 24. They reached out to us for support in renovating a building to make it suitable for housing young homeless adults.

The need

This ambitious project involved transforming a former bus garage into nine self-contained bedsits for young homeless adults as well as creating a warden flat, a training room and a small laundry room.

The solution

The project required lots of attention to make sure that the building was safe and fit for purpose. We called in our patrons to help us assess the safety of the building and decide what needed to be done to make it a safe and warm place to live. With help from our patrons, we were able to overhaul the building by fixing the roof and utilities as well as helping to decorate the building to make it more inviting.

How patrons helped

Bauder and Galliford Try undertook a roofing survey and awarded the project a cash grant of £10,000 towards the vital roof repairs. Supplies of internal insulation, plasterboard and paint were then donated by CRASH Patrons British Gypsum, Dulux Trade, Knauf and Siniat. Galliford Try also sourced 11 high quality kitchens including one specially adapted for disabled use and one in a communal area for teaching life skills at a significantly discounted rate. They also undertook an extensive utilities survey which led to CRASH awarding a further £10,000 grant for electricity and water upgrades. Areen Design went above and beyond in their support, supplying beds, sofas, tables, chairs, wardrobes and light fittings for all nine bedsits and the warden’s flat, completely free of charge.

The social impact

Becky* arrived at MoCoCo House after becoming homeless and exhausting all other avenues of support. She felt ‘embarrassed’ about being homeless as well as her need to move away from people she was associating with. Becky requested the help of MoCoCo House to get her life back on track, seek employment and to build skills for a better future.

MoCoCo House offered Becky a short term tenancy based on her fully engaging with their services and commitment to making changes for herself with their support.

“Each day, Becky showed eagerness to search for work by joining staff in the training room and look for training or employment opportunities. Of course, she came up against many barriers and frustrations, she wanted to find work rather than be on benefits. After two weeks of hard search and many application forms completed, she finally gained a job at a well-known high street clothes shop with a permanent full time contract. It was evident she was happy with her offer of employment and made plans to leave MoCoCo on a positive note. She left with much confidence and even found her own accommodation closer to her place of work.”

Jeanette Davidson

After one month, Becky returned to MoCoCo House to say thank you and explain she is doing well in her job and accommodation. She continues to be in employment.

*Name has been changed to protect identify and help the young lady continue forward with her life.