About our house project

Rotherham House Project is a Local House Project (LHP). All LHP's are members of the National House Project, who help young people leaving care to create their own home and live independently. Rotherham was one of the 5 pilot projects funded by the DfE innovation programme.

Rotherham’s pilot project commenced in January 2019 and seven young people successfully graduated from the programme.

The project has helped Rotherham’s Care Leavers secure long-term permanent accommodation that they can call home. All the young people from the pilot project spent at least five weeks investing time ‘home making’ in their properties. This work included internal decorations, carpeting, and furnishing the property to their liking.  At the end of it they have all felt proud of the work they did and have a sense of belonging in their new home.

The House Project has been popular with our Care Leavers and has allowed our team to support our young people to learn the skills, have the confidence and resilience to move out of care into their new homes. We have supported our young people through an intensive programme that has been challenging but a lot of fun. This has helped young people; find education, employment, and training opportunities: to cook lots of meals: to budget their money well: be a good tenant and to decorate a flat.

Rotherham’s House Project is now a permanent accommodation option for our Care Leavers and one programme is run per year.

What do young people think?

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

What does everyone else think?

Tom Bell, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Assistant Director of Housing:

The House Project is a fantastic example of a person centred housing solution. Through collaboration with young people from the off, the House Project equips them with essential life skills whilst creating a solid foundation that the young people can continue to build on longer term. It also has the benefit of better outcomes for the Local Authority overall, particularly in the form of more sustainable tenancies. 

Cllr Watson, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Elected Member - Children's Social Care:

The House Project provides support and practical skills that young people need to live independently. This helps our care leavers have a home that they feel safe in from which they can start planning for their future.   We want our care leavers to be excited about their futures and reach their full potential. The innovative approach of the House Project provides support and opportunities for them to achieve this.