New urgent accommodation opens for young people

23 December 2025

News image — Andy Fletcher said the charity gave him similar accommodation

BBC Andy Fletcher is pictured smiling at the camera and wearing a colourful Christmas jumper. He is wearing black glasses and is standing in one of the new kitchens. The kitchen has dark grey/blue units with white marble-effect surfaces and white tiles. — Andy Fletcher said the charity gave him similar accommodation

New homes have been created to help young people in need of urgent accommodation.

YMCA Exeter said the new homes on Cliff Road in Paignton, Devon, would help people between the ages of 18 and 25 develop independent living skills.

The charity said the homes were available to young local people who urgently needed to move on from higher supported accommodation and foster placements.

Andy Fletcher used to be homeless and said the charity gave him a similar place to stay when he was in need. He now works at the YMCA as a peer mentor.

'Mental health issues'

He said he had been sofa surfing when he was asked to move out on Christmas Eve.

"It was really hard," he said.

"Not only was I having to deal with the prospect of moving into emergency accommodation but I was also potentially facing on-the-street homelessness.

"I was having to deal with working at the time and mental health issues.

"There was just a cocktail of all sorts that was going on."

The new homes have been developed by YMCA Exeter in collaboration with Torbay Council and YMCA South Devon.

Lydia Brown is pictured smiling at the camera. She has red shoulder-length hair and is wearing a blue jacket. She is standing in a kitchen which has dark grey/blue cabinets and white marble-effect work surfaces. — Lydia Brown said there was an employability programme available to young people

Torbay housing manager Lydia Brown, of YMCA South Devon, said some of the rooms in Paignton offered "spectacular views".

She said each young person who moved into the new homes, which include two self-contained flats and six ensuite rooms in the shared house, would join its "unique supported housing pathway".

She said there were dedicated staff providing housing support as well as a team to engage each young person in volunteering, training, education and employment.

"There is an employability programme so the aim is to get people back into work so they can eventually get into their own independent flat," said Ms Brown.

Joint CEO of YMCA Exeter Gareth Sorsby said its supported housing pathway in Exeter had a 100% success rate, helping young people gain the stability and confidence to move into their own long-term tenancies.

Councillor Alan Tyerman said that since October 2023 there had been a 180% increase in people aged between 18 and 25 in Band B on the Housing Options waiting list, at high risk of homelessness and urgently in need of somewhere to live.

"It's those people who need that extra support," Mr Tyerman added.

The charity said applications were open.