Yvonne had the opportunity to speak directly with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales about the impact of Upstream Cymru and the work of Llamau. The conversation highlighted the growing recognition of early identification alongside intervention as a critical part of ending youth homelessness and the role Wales is playing in shaping solutions across the UK.
Upstream works by identifying young people who may be at risk of homelessness while they are still in school and providing targeted support to them and their families. The programme focuses on strengthening relationships, improving wellbeing, and addressing challenges early, helping young people remain safely at home or access the right support long before they reach crisis point.
With 99% of young people safely remaining at home and 77% of families reporting stronger, more connected relationships, Upstream Cymru is transforming futures and preventing homelessness long before crisis hits.
Building on that success, Llamau is now supporting the expansion of the programme across the UK, working with key partners including Rock Trust, Centrepoint and Macs NI through our Upstream UK partnership to embed prevention at the heart of the response to youth homelessness.
The event in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, hosted by Homewards, brought together international delegates and local leaders committed to preventing homelessness through long-term solutions. The initiative, spearheaded by Prince William, aims to demonstrate it is possible to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated, through collaborative, place-based action.
Speaking about the event, Yvonne Connolly said:
“Llamau is proud to have pioneered the Upstream approach in the UK, tackling the biggest driver of youth homelessness - family and relational breakdown by supporting young people and families long before crisis and helping them stay resilient and connected.
We are extremely proud to have supported colleagues in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to develop their own Upstream initiatives, helping to shape a UK-wide movement for meaningful, early prevention.”
As a strategic partner of the Homewards initiative, Llamau is honoured, and grateful for the opportunity to share our knowledge and learning as part of a shared mission to end youth homelessness. The invitation to speak at the Homewards event reflects the growing recognition of Upstream as one of the most promising approaches to preventing youth homelessness across the UK.
Background information and statistics from Upstream
2024/2025 Impact Highlights
In 2024–25, 2,455 young people were surveyed through Upstream Cymru, with 269 identified as at risk of homelessness or in need of support. Llamau’s dedicated teams were deployed across participating schools, delivering targeted interventions with outstanding results:
99% of young people identified at risk of homelessness were supported to safely remain at home.
77% of families reported stronger relationships, improved communication, and more quality time together.
56% of young people felt more optimistic about their future.
62% saw improved school attendance as a direct result of Upstream Cymru’s support.
Llamau pioneered the Upstream approach in Wales, becoming the first organisation in the UK to pilot the model, inspired by internationally successful models in Canada, the USA, and Australia. The Australian Geelong Project, for example, achieved a 40% reduction in youth homelessness and a 20% improvement in school attendance—demonstrating the power of early, targeted support.
Upstream Cymru brings this proven approach to Wales, adapting it to local needs and systems to prevent homelessness before it begins. The programme has already demonstrated strong results in helping schools identify young people who need support and intervening early to prevent homelessness.
Photo credit to The Royal Foundation and Kensington Palace
