Prince William was in Bournemouth on Thursday to showcase the progress of his homelessness initiative, Homewards, as it approaches its third anniversary. The Prince of Wales welcomed international delegations from Australia, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Finland to examine best practices in preventing youth homelessness.
Bournemouth is one of six flagship locations for Homewards, which aims to make homelessness “rare, brief, and unrepeated”. The other sites are Lambeth, Newport, Belfast, Aberdeen, and Sheffield. The visit highlighted the programme's work in supporting young people at risk of homelessness and preventing crises before they begin.
The day began at Bournemouth Pier, where William met delegates and joined a session with the newly formed Youth Homelessness Board, which brings together representatives from different sectors to strengthen support for homeless youth. He also spoke with a member of the Homewards National Co-Production Group about using personal experience with homelessness to prioritise youth perspectives in the strategy.
Later, the group visited The Bourne Academy to see preventative approaches piloted in schools. William also met sixth-form students who participated in tenancy rights workshops delivered by Shelter, designed to equip young people with practical knowledge for independent living.
William's commitment to homelessness charities stems from visits with his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, to organisations such as Centrepoint and The Passage, of which he is now Patron. Each Homewards location focuses on a specific group; for example, Aberdeen targets single occupants and under-25s, while Northern Ireland supports women experiencing chronic homelessness.
Speaking ahead of the programme's second anniversary last year, William said: “Homewards is an ambitious programme. Tackling homelessness is not just about building homes. Creating long-term change is complex and unpredictable, but I am confident we can lead and inspire understanding, empathy and optimism that homelessness can be ended.”
