Changing Lives

There are many reasons why children and young people can find themselves vulnerable, without hope or without a safe, secure place to live. Action for Children deals with the issues that can lead to homelessness and helps change lives with vital independence skills, training opportunities and access to employment.

For an insight into just how your support can make a difference, tune in to our video:

Read Aileen's story

‘Action for Children has made me more confident in myself. It’s helped me learn about stuff, like saving money. It’s really good on the emotional side of things. If you know you have someone there who is going to support you, you feel more relaxed about everything and you feel less stressed. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them. Everything would have gone wrong.’

Read Chris' story

“I went into care aged seven because my parents didn’t want me any more. By the time I was a teenager, I couldn’t see anything out there for me. I tried to commit suicide several times. But when I was 16, I started going to an Action for Children project. I wouldn’t be alive without them. They got me involved with lots of activities. They gave me practical help with things and put me through anger management classes and counselling. They really have changed my life”

Read Jessica's story

Jessica, 18, is in her first year studying graphic design at university. Getting there is an achievement she never imagined possible when she was kicked out of home for the final time, aged 15, after constant friction with her mum’s boyfriend. Throughout much of her teenage years, Jessica was pretty much on her own. After they split up, her parents were preoccupied with getting on with their own lives to the extent that they neglected hers. The fact that Jessica is at university is largely down to her resilience, the guidance of a few friends and a supportive Action for Children service providing help when it was needed most.

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Where donations go - From £5 to £500,000... where your Byte Night donations make a big difference

Byte Night 2009 - For photos of last year's Byte Night nationwide events click here

Fundraising tips - From auctioning off your bosses car parking space to shaving your head