Bridging the Gap has been working with young people since 1991 and has worked with people from all walks of life, some with mental health problems, learning disabilities, behavioural problems, people who are homeless, drugs and alcohol, young parents, emotional problems and more. All of our staff are CRB checked and we have been awarded 'Investors in People' status since 2004.

The young people we work with are care leavers and may be planning to leave care or are in the process of leaving care. They may be homeless, pregnant or a young parent, have drug or alcohol issues. They may be under supported in education which may be affecting their employment prospects. They may have a combination of these issues. At Bridging the Gap we help solve these problems by working with the young person to enable them to achieve their full potential.

Below are some of the things we provide to young people who are committed to changing their lives around and looking for a future by accessing training, education or employment. This does not restrict the young person from coming to Bridging the Gap but the wish not to commit to this program does.

We all need somewhere we can call home and at Bridging the Gap that is exactly what we strive to provide a warm, friendly homely environment where the young person can feel safe and secure and in the knowledge that they will be taught the skills they need to sustain their stay with us and enabling them to move on with confidence. Each young person is provided with their own comfortable room with bed, bedroom furniture, fridge, and microwave, a WELCOME pack consisting of all bedding requirements, towel bale, toiletries, and essential food starter pack along with crockery. These are available for the young person to take with them when the time comes to move on. A large modern sitting room, a large dining room, fantastic modern kitchen, quiet room/family contact room, emergency placement bedroom, 24 hour on site staff, offices and more.

Getting involved in crime or persistently offending is too easy for some young people who do not have the right support. We help young people to find their feet and give them a fresh start in life. If young people who are residing at Bridging the Gap get into trouble with the law we will support them throughout the process: from obtaining a solicitor to attending court on time, assisting in appropriate dress, and acting as an appropriate adult and advising them on how to improve their behaviour for the future, remembering we are not trained professionals in legal matters. If required we will escort the young person to court hearings and proceedings. This will incur an extra cost to the local authority. We will be working with them to deal with the consequences of their crime, both for their own benefit and for the community in which they live.

Many of our young people have come to this time in their life without the care of parents or family. At Bridging the Gap, we understand that this can have a knock on effect and so with the young persons involvement we include a ‘family mediation point’ where we can bring the young person and their family together to discuss issues and help find solutions for themselves and assist in rebuilding relationships.Even if the young person cannot go back home to live, it is an important part of establishing a support network around them.

If young people become young parents with a baby of their own to support we provide them with the parenting skills they will need to help their new child to do well for the future often preventing a recurrence of any problems they had. After speaking to many young parents it is clear that this is what they want, to be able to break the cycle and love and care confidently and safely with their own children.

Young people are encouraged to follow their own religion. A record of their religious denomination is placed on their file, and any religious needs will be considered through consultation with the young person, their social worker, their family and if necessary members of the community.

We have been working alongside the asylum teams in kent since 2005, working with young asylum seekers and refugees. We have experience of working with a variety of cultures including Eritrean, Moroccan, Algerian, African and Mauritian. We accept referrals regardless of the young person’s race/religion or culture. We take active steps to implement policies and procedures which counter discrimination.

On accepting the young person we will ensure that all the young person’s religious and cultural needs are met at all times including some of the following:

• Ensuring the young person knows the location of their nearest mosque/church.
• Supporting the young person in cooking their own cultural dishes.
• Supporting the young person if and when they participate in Ramadan.
• Respecting the young person’s beliefs and wishes at all times.
• Counseling & TFT if required by additional cost to help them deal with past incidents that are affecting their everyday life i.e. trauma.
• Support in accessing benefits which the individual young person is entitled to.
• We encourage community cohesion, this goes beyond race equality and social inclusion. It is where:

1. There is a common vision and a sense of belonging
2. The diversity of people’s different backgrounds and circumstances are appreciated and positively valued.
3. Those from different backgrounds have similar life opportunities

If you have any questions, would like further information or would like to make an arrangement to view the accommodation then please contact us by e-mail, phone or in writing and we would be delighted to hear from you. Our contact details can be found on the contact us page of this site. We have limited spaces and so an early call will be to your advantage.