Carlisle Key is a small charity in Cumbria that focuses on helping young people who are homeless or on the cusp of becoming homeless. We made our first grant in Feb 2026 to help fund their Hardship and Prevention Programme which often is dealing with emergency situations.
Diana Vlad their Chief Executive describes the plight of the young people and how they address their needs.
“For many young people, homelessness does not begin with sleeping rough. It can start quietly: a relationship breaks down, a tenancy becomes unaffordable, a bill cannot be paid or there is simply no safe place to go. By the time a young person walks through the door at Carlisle Key, they may already be carrying fear, uncertainty and the weight of trying to solve everything alone.
Carlisle Key works with young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or facing housing-related crisis. Through our drop-in service and supported accommodation, the charity offers practical help, housing advice, emotional support and a steady relationship with people who listen. The aim is not only to respond to crisis, but to help young people build the confidence, knowledge and stability they need to move towards independent living.
We respond quickly when small barriers threatened to become major setbacks. For a young person leaving supported accommodation, rent arrears can make the next step feel impossible. Without support, those arrears can stand between them and a fresh start. Help with essential costs such as food, travel, a phone or glasses can also be the difference between keeping an appointment, applying for work, staying connected, or simply getting through the week with dignity. These are not luxuries. They are the everyday pieces of life that many people take for granted, but which can become overwhelming when someone is young, on a low income, and trying to rebuild. A phone means being contactable by housing providers, employers, health services and support workers. Travel costs can mean attending a viewing, an interview or an important appointment. Food support can ease immediate pressure while longer-term plans are put in place.
The impact of this kind of support is often seen in quiet moments for a young person: feeling able to open letters they had been avoiding; attending an appointment they would otherwise have missed; beginning to believe that their situation can improve. Progress is rarely instant, but each practical step helps reduce crisis and gives young people more room to focus on their future.
Our work continues to grow around the needs of young people in the local community. The charity provides housing advice, support with benefits and money management, tenancy guidance, advocacy, counselling, employability support and access to essentials such as food parcels, toiletries, clothing and household items. This mix of practical and emotional support matters because homelessness is rarely about housing alone. It is often connected to mental health, family breakdown, poverty, trauma, isolation or a lack of trusted guidance.
Looking ahead, we are focused on strengthening the safety net available to young people in Carlisle and across the surrounding area. Having reliable support in place means young people can come forward earlier, before a problem becomes an emergency. It also means the charity can keep offering a welcoming space where someone in crisis is met not with judgement, but with practical help and hope.”
Carlisle Key is typical of small local homeless charities. They need to be supported so they can continue their work which for Carlisle Key is about vulnerable young people facing homelessness.