At Concrete, our work is about so much more than housing; it’s about helping people build confidence, skills and futures. For Karen Bayley, that mission is personal.
As a Housing Support Coach at our Young Person’s Service in Hartshill, Karen brings compassion, experience and resilience to every young person she supports. Her story is a powerful example of how past careers, parenting and life experience can all come together to make a difference.
At the heart of it all is Concrete’s mission: helping to make homelessness history, because housing is a right, not a privilege. It’s a belief that shapes everything we do, and it’s what brought Karen to the team.
From Pastoral Care to Housing Support
Karen spent many years working in education, with a focus on pastoral care. She was the teacher students turned to when they needed help beyond the classroom, someone who cared about their wellbeing, not just their grades. After stepping back to focus on raising her children, Karen found herself looking for a new way to use her strengths once her kids were grown.
That’s when she found Concrete.
“When I saw this opportunity, I thought my pastoral experience would really fit,” Karen shared. “The young people we support have often been through so much, and just like in school, it’s about building that relationship first before we can help them move forward.”
Supporting young people with big futures
Karen now works at Carolilian, one of Concrete’s supported housing schemes for young people aged 18 to 25. Many of the people she works with have been in care or have experienced unstable home lives, and arrive without basic life skills like cooking, cleaning or budgeting, never mind managing a tenancy.
At Carolilian, they get more than just a place to stay. “We work with them on everything, safe and well checks, support plans, cooking sessions, breakfast groups, even just sitting down for a chat,” said Karen. “It’s all about helping them take those first steps towards independence.”
The average stay is around 18 months, and Karen says the growth in that time is incredible to witness. “Some arrive with nothing, no confidence, no trust, no life skills. Then 18 months later, they’re holding down a job or college course, looking after themselves, and ready to live in the community. Watching that transformation is what makes this job worth it.”
(Pictured: Jane and Karen, Housing Support Coaches)
Building trust, one conversation at a time
Karen is honest about the challenges. Many of the young people who come to Carolilian have been let down before. Building trust takes time.
“It can be really hard to get them to open up at first,” she explained. “They’ve had a lot of broken promises, so they keep their walls up. We have to show them we’re here for the right reasons, and that we’re not going to give up on them.”
That trust is the foundation for everything. Once it’s there, the work begins, not by telling young people what to do, but by listening, and building a support plan around their goals. Whether it’s learning to cook, applying for jobs or just building a daily routine, the support is always shaped by what matters to them.
Want to join us?
Whether you’ve got lived experience that can be used to support someone else, need a role that fits around your life, or want a job with purpose each day, Concrete is for you.
We’re proud to be part of Honeycomb Group, a team of socially minded brands helping to provide happy homes and thriving futures for people in Staffordshire and the surrounding areas. All of our job opportunities are advertised through Honeycomb Group.
