About our house project

The Wolverhampton House Project, a partnership between the council, The National House Project, Wolverhampton Homes and commercial partner Reconomy, is designed to help care leavers through one of the most difficult periods in their lives and to give them the skills and confidence to build a life for themselves after leaving care.

Launched in 2019, it has seen care leavers given an empty Wolverhampton Homes property which they could refurbish and then move into. Working with each other and specialists, they develop the skills needed to make any improvements required.

Many are now living in their own flats or other accommodation that suits their needs and have developed the confidence to get jobs or continue with their education.

Young people in Wolverhampton have celebrated graduating from The House Project, a ground breaking scheme designed to help care leavers move into their own home and forge an independent life.  

What do young people think?

Hear what our Young People have to say about their Local House Project

What does everyone else think?

Alison Hinds, the council’s Deputy Director of Social Care:

Living alone for the first time is daunting for any of us, but particularly so for a care leaver who will do this at a much earlier age than most young people and who would not have the support of family members, either. As a result, some young people stay in care for longer than they either need or want to.

The House Project has been a fantastic programme, allowing these young people to move into their own home while getting support to develop the practical and emotional skills that they need to live independently and to make their house a home.

Many of our young people have overcome several obstacles along the way – with the toughest challenge of all of course being the coronavirus pandemic.  However, through all this they have remained committed and focused to achieve their end goal and are now excited to start the next journey in their lives.

Councillor John Reynolds, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Services:

Living alone for the first time is daunting for any of us, but particularly so for a care leaver who will do this at a much earlier age than most young people and who would not have the support of family members, either. As a result, some young people stay in care for longer than they either need or want to.

The House Project will enable young people to move into their own home while getting support to develop the practical and emotional skills that they need to live independently and to make their house a home.

We are particularly grateful for the support of Reconomy which has made it clear it wants to provide support and opportunities to help improve outcomes for care leavers in the city.

Reconomy Chief Executive Paul Cox

As someone that was born and raised in Wolverhampton I care passionately about this project and its fantastic to see it come to fruition.

The formal announcement of the Wolverhampton House Project is a massive step forward and has the potential to be transformational for Wolverhampton’s young people in care. Reconomy is proud to be the commercial partner of this project and we look forward to getting started.

Ricky Lowther, 21, a care leaver who has been appointed to the Wolverhampton House Project Steering Group as an adviser:

We were delighted to make our pitch to the group and explain to them how the House Project would help young care leavers; we are really grateful that it will be coming to Wolverhampton.

Casey Gavin, Chair of the Care Leavers Forum:

The House Project coming to Wolverhampton opens up so many doors and opportunities for some of the city's most vulnerable young people, providing an ever-strengthening network of support, important life skills and knowledge could not be a better gift to the future of Wolverhampton.
I am immensely proud of our achievement in receiving the go ahead and cannot wait to see it blossom the Wolverhampton way.