A project known as SHAID, the Single Homeless Action Initiative, was founded in response to youth homelessness, a problem that had been growing since the 1980s, in a deprived area of County Durham. SHAID provides young people with advice, support, information, and life skills training on subjects such as home safety, budgeting, personal and food hygiene, sexual health, cookery, confidence building, drug awareness. and employability. In this article, the author describes how SHAID is turning fragile young learners into active citizens with a passion for education. Quantitative analysis of 10 SHAID volunteers (known as "Shaidy Characters") found a direct correlation between length of involvement in the program and a decrease in incidents of homelessness, mental health problems, poor educational attainment, and contact with the criminal justice system.