Waiting for the
The Amber Foundation is giving troubled young people a second chance at life In a small hut set alongside a 17th Century Manor house which overlooks stunning countryside, a former heroin addict called Tom Stock is browsing the internet looking for jobs. Sitting across the room freestyle rapping is Connor Hammond, who has recently been released from prison. His sound is enhanced by the more melodic voice of Jasmine Finnerty, a teenager trying to rid herself of a drug habit. In the kitchen stirring a beef stew is Danny Ireland, a young man who was recently homeless but will soon be heading to college, whilst outside Tom Chapman,
a dub-step dancer who was recently sleeping rough in Crawley, isn’t having much luck as he fishes for carp on a pleasant spring day. This is life at the Amber Foundation, which offers people aged 17-30 the chance to transform their lives. The Foundation has helped over 1,300 young people turn their lives around since it was founded in 1995. Amber now runs three centres, the most recent of which is at Farm Place in Stane Street, Ockley. Charles Drew, Chief Executive Officer, said: “Farm Place brings the number of
potential Amberteers who can stay at Amber at any one time to 100. “Many people see certain counties as wealthy and that don’t have problems around homelessness, offenders, drugs and unemployment, but the sad fact is that every county does have problems to a greater or lesser degree.” Currently there are 23 young people at Farm Place, all but one of them men, but all with the same common goal – to improve their lives. Almost all are longterm unemployed, and each has a story of homelessness, drug abuse or a life of crime.