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Alone in London

Registered charity number 280827

On JustGiving since Nov 2002

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About Alone in London

Alone in London's mission is 'Providing practical and emotional support for vulnerable young people'.

The charity's key objectives:

Alone in London works with young homeless people in London to:

  • Resolve their immediate housing crisis
  • Define any problems underlying their housing crisis
  • Re-establish positive family contact where appropriate
  • Assist young people who want to return home
  • Teach independent living skills
  • Support the transition to independence
  • Obtain relevant statutory services and entitlements
The charity's mission and values:

Alone in London’s mission is to achieve the following:

  • Reduce the numbers of young people becoming homeless in London

  • Help prevent the family breakdown that causes homelessness

  • Support young people in returning to their families wherever possible

  • Support young people from outside London so they can return to their home areas

  • Reduce the emotional long-term damage of family breakdown

  • Improve opportunities for young people to make the most of their lives through education and employment

The charity believes in empowering young people to help themselves, encouraging people to find their own solutions wherever possible. This is done through partnerships with companies, government agencies, housing agencies and other charities. It concentrates on small groups and individuals to achieve long term success.

The charities integrated service:

Advice & Advocacy: Interview-based work designed to solve immediate problems such as where to stay and how to access other means of support. Advocacy services are designed to help young people get their statutory entitlements to benefits, legal services and to provide practical and emotional support.

Satellite projects: Located in outlying boroughs of the city, the charity's satellite resources enable young people to access the charity's services in their local area.

Family Mediating: Alone in London’s family mediation service offers help, advice and mediation to young people who want to resolve their family problems.

This is achieved through various projects.

The Cally Road project provides respite accommodation and family mediation to those at risk of becoming homeless so problems at home can be addressed. As a result many young people return home.

The Magnet project is for young people originally from outside London and helps them return successfully to their home or home area with ongoing family mediation support.

The Schools work project gives pupils between 11-16 the conflict resolution skills needed to diffuse family conflict and avoid having to run away.

Supported Housing & Resettlement: Alone in London manages nine shared houses throughout London that can provide varying levels of support for up to 53 young people at any one time. A Supported Lodgings scheme has been created whereby young people can live within a safe and supportive environment in preparation for independent living.

Training & Employment:  Being independent requires a certain amount of self-sufficiency. Young people are given advice, training and support to assist them find employment or undertake further study.

Volunteer Service:  Volunteering is involved in all aspects of the organisations work and key services. It provides valuable experience, knowledge and employment opportunities for individuals engaging in work with young people.

Track record 2000-01
For 30 years, Alone in London has been providing much needed help and support to some of London’s most disadvantaged young people. During this time it has helped over 23,000 young homeless people in London.

In the course of the year 2000/01 the charity:-

  • Helped over 1,500 vulnerable young people at it's drop-in centres in Kings Cross, Brent and Lewisham and provided a further 3,500 young people with advice over the phone.

  • Resolved the immediate housing crisis of 95% of young people by placing them in emergency accommodation.

  • Assisted 146 young people secure their legal rights.

  • Helped 426 young people and their families communicate better.

  • Worked with nearly 1,000 school pupils in London to raise their awareness of youth homelessness and develop their conflict resolution skills

  • Provided 77 young people with a safe and secure place to live, for an average of eight months.


    Our history

    1972 - Girls Alone in London (GALS) was formed to provide a counselling and advisory service to young women arriving at the mainline stations around Euston.

    1974 - GALS moved to Euston Road lodges.

    1976 - GALS hosted the National Girls in need Conference. GALS had 2 members of staff and 2 volunteers.

    1979 - GALS changed its name to Alone in London Service. This reflected the results of an action research project in King's Cross that confirmed that young men needed the service as much as women. The organisation joined the Homeless Network.

    1982 - The Rosoman Street hostel changed from being a mixed bed-sit unit to a supported hostel.

    1983 - Rufford Street opened up as a 26-bed hostel for young people providing education, training and life skills.

    1984 - A Resettlement service was set up at Rosoman Street and Rufford Street to provide support to young people when they moved on.

    1986 - A fire at Euston Road lodges meant Alone in London Service had to moved to 188 Kings Cross Road

    1986 - A period of development for Supported Housing at Caledonian Road, Britannia Street and Grayling Road, increased the bed-spaces available by 15 (now a total of 45).

    1992 - The Advocacy Service was set up for young people having difficulty accessing their rights under the Children's Act and to respond to the increasing numbers of care leavers who were homeless.

    1993 - Gunton Road and Vanburgh Park shared housing projects were set up as a result of the Rough Sleepers Initiative.

    1993 - In response to Centrepoint's expansion, Alone in London Service entered into discussion with Capital Housing over merging into a single organisation. Despite support from funders and the Homeless Network this merger collapsed after 2 years of negotiation.

    1995 - Gaynor Quilter became Director of Alone in London and began by commissioning research into why the merger had collapsed.

    1995 - After a riot by residents causing much damage, Rufford Street hostel was closed.

    1996 - Alone in London Service set up its Volunteer Service providing 50 roles across the whole organisation.

    1997 - The aims of the Advocacy Service were extended to advise, support and represent young people on all legal matters affecting them.

    1997 - The Alone in London Travel Shop was set up as a separate company whose aim is to raise funds for Alone in London and offer training and experience to young people in travel and tourism.

    1997 - ALS core values were drawn up as a way to consolidate what ALS really stands for.

    1997 - Family Mediation Service launched to re-establish positive family contact.

    1998 - Emma Thompson becomes ALS patron.

    1998 - The Magnet Project is launched as a partnership between three homelessness charities - offering young homeless people originating from outside London a combination of family mediation and re-settlement back to their home area.

    2000 - Alone in London Service merged with Girls Alone Project (GAP), and can now provide 53 bed-spaces, including women only accommodation.