Rich is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Settle – a social enterprise that supports vulnerable young people moving into their first home. The transition from homelessness to independence is precarious.  If it doesn’t go smoothly, the impact on a young person’s life can be disastrous.  Eviction is now the leading cause of homelessness in the UK as young people are leaving hostels to find themselves unable to manage their money, health and home.  Without anyone to turn to for help, a small issue can quickly snowball and have dire consequences. Settle was started by Rich Grahame and Katie Slee in 2014 after working in homeless hostels and seeing the problem firsthand.  Settle intervenes at this crucial juncture in a young person’s life by equipping them with the practical skills they need to live independently. After a successful pilot in March  2015, the Shackleton  Leadership Award  will enable Rich and Katie to refine and deliver the programme to 65 vulnerable young people across three London boroughs in 2015-16.  This will lay the foundations of a sustainable organisation that can grow to reach more young people who are making the difficult transition to living on their own.

Award Date: November 2015