A new housing scheme has been launched to help homeless young people in Londonderry.

The Francis Street Project provides accommodation as well as individual support packages tailored to meet the needs of people aged between 16 and 25.

The accommodation is an innovative development offering furnished self-contained apartment type accommodation.

The project opened in 2006 and is managed by First Housing Aid and Support Services (FHASS).

It was developed in partnership with FHASS, Housing Executive, Western Health and Social Care Trust and Fold Housing Association and the scheme is substantially funded through the Housing Executive’s Supporting People Programme.

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Each year the Housing Executive's Supporting People Programme provides housing related support services to over 23,000 vulnerable people regionally and spending £6.7m in the Derry City Council area last year alone.

Sean Mackie, Housing Executive’s Area Manager, said the aim is to help people live independently by developing services and housing solutions tailored to each person’s own circumstances.

"The service provided at Francis Street has had noticeable success in preventing homelessness among vulnerable young people."

Eileen Best, Operations Manager of First Housing Aid and Support Services said: "Francis Street offers a structured and stable environment where young homeless people can get the space they need to address the issues which contributed to their homelessness.

"A major spin off from this type of supported accommodation is that it minimises the level of revolving door homelessness that is traditionally associated with young people who experience homelessness."

Over the last twenty years First Housing Aid has developed a number of projects and services that have assisted people throughout the province who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

(PR/GK)