The Home of Teens Unite
Building the first dedicated retreat in England for young people living with, and beyond cancer.
Brick by brick, we're rebuilding more young lives.
'The Home of Teens Unite' will be a dedicated space to host more of our short breaks, tailored activities, and specialist programmes for more young people across the UK.
What was once a vision, is now a necessity.
Over the last 12 months, we've experienced a 48% increase in the number of young people registering for our support.
Right now, for every young person we reach, nine more are still waiting.
That’s why 'The Home of Teens Unite' must become a reality.
But we need to raise £4.35million to make it happen.
Improving the support available
Teens Unite is building a dedicated retreat for teenagers and young adults living with, and beyond cancer. It will be the first facility of its kind in England.
We are in the process of transforming our new site in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire into a fully inclusive and accessible facility that provides young people, from across the UK, with the mental, emotional, and social support needed, not just during treatment and recovery, but throughout their long-term aftercare.
Known as 'The Home of Teens Unite', it will unite young people with experience of cancer through an increased offering of the short residential breaks, specialist programmes, and tailored activities we currently deliver.
Together, they will learn new skills, benefit from life-shaping experiences, and challenge themselves in a safe and supportive space where they feel confident in taking the next steps to rebuilding their lives surrounded by others who understand the struggles they're facing.
We’re committed to preventing cancer from claiming this key developmental stage of their lives and impacting their future. 'The Home of Teens Unite' will ensure more young people have opportunities to thrive, and live life to the full.
Why it's needed
Why it's needed
1
Accessibility and inclusivity
Accessibility and inclusivity are two main barriers for young people participating in our activities.
Without a dedicated base, our activities, programmes and residential stays rely on hired external venues - many of which aren’t equipped to meet the specific needs of young people facing cancer. From inadequate disabled access to poor hygiene facilities, these spaces often fall short of the standards they need, and deserve. The Home of Teens Unite will be purposefully designed to ensure it is fully accessible, safe and comfortable to all. The added benefit of short-term accommodation on site will enable teenagers and young adults from across the UK, to benefit from our support irrespective of their location, widening our reach.
2
Increasing demand
In the last 12 months we have provided 1,600 opportunities to attend our activities and stays, all of which were oversubscribed.
Every two minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer, with the fastest-growing incidence among those aged 20-24. With external venue hire costs continuing to rise, and the resource required to manage off-site logistics, these challenges are placing growing strain on our ability to expand, and meet increasing demand. By hosting the majority of our service output on site, 'The Home of Teens Unite' will increase our support output by almost 50%.
3
The current care gap
For young people diagnosed with cancer, 80% report the mental health impact of a diagnosis is as difficult as the physical side.
Yet 44% have no access to NHS Services for the mental health impacts of diagnosis. The support needs of young people to fully recover from cancer or live with the diagnosis they have been given, extend beyond that of medical treatment. With the support of Teens Unite, 91% feel an improvement on their mental health, and 90% have a more positive outlook on life. An additional 2,500 cases of cancer will be diagnosed in teenagers and young adults this year alone. We’re determined to empower more of these young people to take the next steps towards rebuilding their lives.
'The Home of Teens Unite' will be set within 1.6 acres of secluded countryside in rural Hertfordshire, offering a peaceful and tranquil retreat.
The site is an idyllic setting for teenagers and young adults to escape the stresses and strains of living with cancer, whilst remaining within easy access of London's leading cancer hospitals, and main transport links.
Our vision is for the retreat to comprise of four key buildings - Teens Unite's Head Office, a multi-purpose Activity Centre, a Residential Building and a Sports Facility; all of which will be surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens to enjoy.
To achieve this, we’ll adapt the existing buildings where possible and create new spaces where needed – all designed to meet the specific needs of the young people we support, ensuring the retreat is fully accessible, inclusive and fit for purpose.
(All photos shown are of the current site, prior to work commencing).
Introducing the site
How will it be used?
The Home of Teens Unite will be a place of opportunity, togetherness and belonging, and a space designed entirely around the needs of teenagers and young adults living with, and beyond cancer.
It will become the permanent base for our charity, where we will host the majority of our activities. These will range from creative workshops such as art and design, to practical sessions like cookery and careers guidance, through to confidence-building activities including outdoor sports and podcasting. Each is designed to help young people rebuild self-esteem, develop new skills and rediscover their potential.
Young people from across the UK will also benefit from our residential breaks, with up to 20 staying on site for a maximum of three nights at a time. During their stay, they will take part in a full itinerary of tailored activities – encouraging personal growth, creating lasting memories and, most importantly, forming friendships with others who truly understand the challenges they face.
Transforming the site
Given the scale of the project, we are taking a phased approach, aligned with our fundraising targets.
We need to reach our £4.5million target to open the doors, of which £1.5million has been secured.
You can find an outline of the four phases of the project below, but for further details, please email info@teensunite.org.
Phase 1
Renovating the granary barn into Teens Unite's new on-site Head Office to eliminate the cost of external office space.
This phase is now complete.
Phase 2
Converting the existing barn into a multi-functional Activity Centre - a single storey space, with three separate activity rooms.
Phase 3
The Residential Building - comprising of nine en-suite twin bedrooms, professional kitchen, dining space, and communal lounges.
Converting the existing outbuilding into a sports facility with a classroom, and storage for equipment, leading onto 1-acre of open space for outdoor sports and fitness.
Phase 4
Support the project
We can only open the doors to The Home of Teens Unite, with your support.
For every £10 you donate each month, you'll be adding another brick to the project.
This is your chance to build a lasting legacy - one that will transform the lives of teenagers and young adults for years to come.
We can't do it without you, please donate.
Could your organisation join our corporate partners supporting us to reach our fundraising target? Or do you have a professional skill that could support us with the renovation and building work? Or would you like to know more details of the project and how you can get involved?
Make a donation
Every £10 donated each month, purchases another brick towards the project.
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