Emma Nay and her colleagues reach thousands of school children every year through powerful workshops that are helping to prevent youth homelessness.
As Depaul UK’s Education Officer in the North West and South Yorkshire, I go into schools to deliver homelessness prevention workshops. The work is vital—because youth homelessness doesn’t start on the streets. It starts long before that, in classrooms, in conflict at home, in relationships that hurt more than they help. And our job is to stop it in its tracks.
Our workshops create a space where young people—many of them vulnerable or overlooked—are invited to think differently about relationships, safety, and their futures. We talk about what healthy friendships look like, how to navigate conflict, and, most importantly, where to turn when things aren’t okay.
Sometimes, the results are immediate. I remember a session where I asked the group to think of two people they could talk to if they were in an unhealthy relationship. One boy quietly said he wouldn’t talk to anyone. He didn’t believe he could. We had a conversation—about the importance of speaking up, about the risks of staying silent. At the end of the session, he wrote that he was now much more likely to ask for help. That moment stayed with me. He hadn’t just learned something; he had changed course.
These conversations matter, especially for young people at risk—care leavers, persistently absent students, those with SEN or living in complex family environments. I’ve worked as a learning support assistant. I’ve seen how quickly the “naughty” kids are written off when, often, they’re just overwhelmed, dysregulated, and unheard. With time, patience, and the right tools, they thrive. This is what Depaul believes in—seeing the potential in every young person.
In our targeted sessions, we work with small groups. There, the conversations go deeper. A space opens up where vulnerability isn’t punished, but honoured. In one session, a student became visibly upset and walked out. My colleague Kerri followed up—and that young person made a disclosure. Because of that moment, we were able to make a referral to our Reconnect family mediation team and begin supporting both her and her family. That’s what prevention looks like in real time.
We train school staff, social workers, and future frontline professionals to identify signs of risk and respond with care and knowledge. Many schools tell us, “We have so many students who could benefit from this.” And they do. Because youth homelessness is not rare—it’s hidden. Every hour, 12 young people in the UK become homeless. One in 10 care leavers will experience homelessness.
Too often, schools don’t recognise the signs. I’ve heard, “We don’t have any homeless students,” in schools where I know the statistics say otherwise. The truth is, youth homelessness is often sofa-surfing, fleeing emotional abuse, or sleeping on floors. It’s not always visible. That’s why early intervention is so essential. The earlier we can step in, the fewer risks a young person has to take—and the better chance they have at thriving.
Our workshops are more than lessons—they are interventions. Through storytelling, debate, and honest dialogue, students begin to see themselves and their rights differently. In one video, our character Ryan must choose whether to speak up or stay silent in an argument with his stepdad. The students vote. They debate. And in that process, they start thinking: What would I do? What support do I have? Who can I talk to?
They begin to realise they have choices. And that they deserve care, respect, and safety.
We are proud to be a prevention-first organisation. But more than that, we are a frontline organisation. Our work is not theoretical. It’s real, responsive, and relevant to the needs of young people today. Every session we run ends with feedback—and we use that to adapt, grow, and stay connected to what matters most: the voices of the young people themselves.
If I could change one thing about how schools approach youth homelessness, it would be this: make space for these conversations. Prioritise them. Because the classroom isn’t just for geography and maths. It’s also where young people should learn how to identify their emotions, understand their rights, and believe that they are worth helping.
There will always be youth homelessness. But with early support, trusted relationships, and the courage to have the hard conversations—we can make sure fewer young people have to experience it alone.
Find out more about our Education Workshops.
Thanks to the Players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, we are supporting thousands of young people at risk of homelessness to build brighter futures.
