Why We Started

For many young people, moving into their first home is an exciting milestone. For many care experienced young people, it can be one of the most challenging moments of their lives.

While dedicated social workers, personal advisers and leaving care teams work tirelessly to support young people through this transition, they often do so under significant pressure and with limited resources. The smaller details that help transform accommodation into a home can be much harder to provide.

A warm blanket. A towel. A mug for that first cup of tea. Fairy lights for a homey atmosphere. Small, everyday comforts that many of us take for granted can make an enormous difference during those first few days.

The idea for Here 2 Belong didn’t come from a single moment. It evolved over time.

Through volunteering with the wonderful charity Comfort Cases UK, I had the privilege of being part of a work that provides thoughtful, practical support to children entering care, something I know can have a lasting impact on a child’s sense of dignity and self worth. Around the same time, conversations with a close friend who quietly spent time helping young care leavers furnish their first homes with second hand furniture opened my eyes to what happens after a young person leaves the care system.

An insightful visit to a charity providing temporary accommodation for homeless young people, including many who had grown up in care, brought everything together. Listening to their stories and seeing the reality of how some young people begin adult life strengthened my determination to invest my time and energy in creating something that could make a meaningful difference.

It became clear that while accommodation may be available, creating the feeling of home is often beyond what already stretched services can realistically provide.

That was the beginning of Here 2 Belong.

We believe that supporting young people at one of the most significant transitions in their lives is an investment in our future generation. Every young person deserves the opportunity to begin adulthood feeling valued, and supported.

Working alongside the professionals already supporting them, we provide thoughtfully prepared first home kits filled with everyday essentials and carefully chosen comforts that help transform an empty room into a welcoming space.

Every item has been selected with intention. Together they provide more than practical support, they communicate something every young person deserves to feel:

You matter.

A home is about more than four walls. It’s about dignity. Comfort. Belonging. It’s about knowing that someone cared enough to think about you.

This is only the beginning of our journey, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who chooses to be part of it. Whether you volunteer, partner with us, donate goods, raise funds or simply help spread the word, you’re helping create brighter beginnings for young people leaving care.