MACS awarded £250,000 to strengthen youth homelessness prevention in Northern Ireland

MACS is delighted to receive £250,000 from The Julia Rausing Trust to support Upstream NI, our early intervention programme working to prevent youth homelessness before it happens.

The funding forms part of a major £10 million investment by The Julia Rausing Trust, supporting 31 organisations across the UK working to prevent and tackle youth homelessness.

MACS joins partners Centrepoint in England, Llamau in Wales and The Rock Trust in Scotland in receiving funding to strengthen the Upstream approach across all four nations.

Preventing homelessness before it happens

At MACS, we know that youth homelessness rarely happens overnight. Family breakdown, financial pressures, difficulties at school and poor mental health can all contribute to a young person becoming at risk of losing their home.

Upstream NI takes an early intervention approach, working alongside schools to identify young people who may be experiencing difficulties, often before they reach crisis point.

Through early identification and tailored support, including family mediation and connections to other services, Upstream aims to help young people remain safely connected to their homes, families, education and communities.

Ciara Scolly from MACS welcomed the investment:

“Homelessness doesn’t happen overnight. Behind every young person at risk are challenges around family relationships, mental health, education, poverty or isolation.

“This funding recognises that prevention matters. It gives us the opportunity to get alongside young people earlier, build on their strengths and help them navigate difficult periods before they become crises.

“We’re incredibly proud to be part of a movement that believes young people deserve support, hope and opportunity long before they need emergency services.”

A shared commitment to prevention

The investment reflects a growing recognition across the UK that preventing homelessness is just as important as responding when it happens.

For MACS, this funding represents an important opportunity to strengthen early intervention in Northern Ireland and build on the work already underway through Upstream NI.

We are grateful to The Julia Rausing Trust for its support and proud to work alongside our Upstream UK partners towards a future where fewer young people experience homelessness.