A housing group in Warrington that helps young people “thrive not just survive” is celebrating its tenth anniversary this week.

Verve Place on Mersey Street is part of Foyer Federation and Friday, May 14 marks ten years since the member services team launched advantaged thinking – an influential philosophy that empowers young people who can’t live at home.

It focuses on an individual’s strengths rather than their weaknesses or what they need to overcome, promising to look at people’s dreams and aspirations and invest in their potential without defining everyone by their problems.

Ten years ago, Colin Falconer was the director of innovation at the Foyer Federation and he introduced the programme which is central to the company.

The now director of InspireChilli developed the first quality assurance accreditation for supported housing, created national programmes for health and employability and built young people’s leadership skills.

Warrington’s Verve Place has 38 self-contained flats which offer supported housing for young people, who for many different reasons are unable to live at home.

Together with the help of staff and the advantaged thinking approach, they are supported in moving forward and encouraged to find their independence.

Andy Ward, young people services operations manager at Verve Place’s Your Housing Group, said: “Using advantaged thinking in the delivery of our foyer services in Your Housing Group really encapsulates the Foyer model and the way we want to work with and support young people. “At our Foyers, young people are given the opportunity to excel through the advantaged thinking approach, enabling them to thrive - and not just survive.

“We use the seven advantaged thinking tests to assess, measure and reflect which enables continuous improvement and ensures services that are fit for purpose. “Over the past 10 years, advantaged thinking has revolutionised the Foyer model and has helped so many young people in our schemes to realise their potential.”

The Foyer Federation believes that young people who have experienced homelessness are among the most resilient of their generation and they have talent to build on, experiences to draw on and the energy to spark change.

Members are at the heart of the movement, living advantaged thinking every day to secure thriving futures with and for young people. Joel Lewis, chief executive of the Foyer Federation, said: “I am thrilled that 10 years after advantaged thinking was introduced by the Foyer Federation,we can celebrate the impact it has had on the lives of countless young people and practitioners in the youth sector and beyond.

“I have personally drawn on advantaged thinking to create meaningful programmes, services and projects that ensure young people have the best opportunity to thrive.

“Being an advantaged thinker takes bravery, humility and energy.

“Over the last 10 years, it is clear that it has struck a chord with so many who are desperate to see services, systems and people working together to build a positive present and an inspirational future for all young people.”

To celebrate the 10 year anniversary, the Federation will bring together housing associations, youth organisations and supporters of the movement to host an afternoon of talks, workshops and inspiring conversations.

The Zoom event will include examples of advantaged thinking from young people and staff in the UK as well as contributions from people in Holland, Ireland and Australia.