‘Heartbroken’ Michael Sheen rallies support for homeless young people in Wales

Actor and soon-to-be-dad again Michael Sheen is fronting a campaign to help get homeless young people into employment, on behalf of national charity End Youth Homelessness. The appeal is supporting 11 charities working all across the UK, including Llamau who work with homeless young people across Wales.

Michael is known for his fight against youth homelessness and was a key advocate for the recent Homeless World Cup. The actor is now appealing for donations for End Youth Homelessness’ Employability Fund, which provides specialist career coaches that help young people work towards their dream careers.  £23 can give a young person an hour with a coach to help a homeless young person build the skills, confidence and high aspirations they need to get into work and out of homelessness for good.

Michael commented:

“I don’t know about you but the thought of anybody being without something as basic as a safe and stable home to live in is terrible, but particularly young people. Young people who are vulnerable, who have grown up in circumstances not of their choosing, and who haven’t had the start that many of us take for granted. I think about how loving and supportive my parents and my wider family have been in my life, and how that launched me into my own independent life in a way that I took for granted for a very long time.

But not everyone is as fortunate to have that kind of a start. The thought of people – many of whom are young people coming out of the care system and just not on a level playing field with others, young people who have already gone through so much, often through very traumatic childhoods – the idea that they then, when they’re deemed to be of the age of adulthood, are being left on their own and ending up without a home and all the vulnerability and danger and insecurity and chaos that can put them into….

The thought of that is just heartbreaking.”

The appeal features the story of Jess, who was homeless and on her own from the age of 16. With the support of End Youth Homelessness, Jess is now a qualified youth worker, in her own accommodation, and helping other young people facing homeless issues.

Did you know that:

• More than 103,000 16-25 year olds are homeless in the UK each year
• 26% of disadvantaged young people are not in education, employment and training – twice the rate of their more affluent peers
• It costs £1,200 to provide a young person the tailored support they need to get into a career pathway that will transform their future
• For £23, a career coach can give tailored help to vulnerable young people to get them into training or employment