What is the House Project?
The House project enables young people who are leaving care to access support from dedicated staff, allowing them to develop the skills, confidence and knowledge needed to live independently and make a positive life for themselves. It also supports them in establishing Local House Projects (LHP) in their local area, to support other young people who are in similar situations to themselves and build a stronger community.
The first step in a home building project is the planning phase. This is when the client’s budget and personal preferences are gathered. It is essential that these details are gathered early in the project, so the final design can be adapted to meet the clients requirements.
During this stage, the client will need to consider things like; what style of house they want, how big they want their living space to be, what they plan to have in each room (such as built-in cabinets or fireplaces), and any other special features that may be required such as a curved wall or an open floor plan. They should write down their ideas for the home, gather inspiration from websites, magazines, and open houses. They will also need to decide how much they want to spend on the project, including any materials they wish to use.
It is important that the client understands how long they expect to be in the house and what they want their daily routine to look like, so this can be taken into account in the design process. They should also know what type of climate they will be exposed to, as this can impact on the style and material choice for their new home.
After a client has finalized the above information, they will need to draw up a blueprint for the house, including the general layout of each room and their dimensions. This is an essential part of the planning process, as it can ensure that the home design complies with regulatory requirements. Once the blueprint is in place, the client can then begin to add specific details about their preferred aesthetic and the materials they wish to use.
The House project is a charitable incorporated organisation which aims to provide the knowledge and resources to establish Local House Projects (LHPs) across England and Scotland, enabling young people who are leaving care to develop the skills, confidence and knowledge to live independently and make a positive life. The organisation works to empower young people by supporting them in establishing LHPs using a psychologically informed practice framework. This has been shown to improve outcomes for young people leaving care and increase their chances of employment, education and a healthy lifestyle. LHPs have been shown to reduce tenancy breakdowns, improve engagement in services and social networks and increase independence for the young people involved.