"I think it's brilliant what they've done," she enthuses. "The flat used to be very plain and white. I hated it, but they've really brightened it up."
The 10 young decorators are here with Fairbridge, a charity that runs various projects to support excluded young people by teaching them life and social skills. Its work falls into three broad areas: work-based skills, community recreation and independent living skills.
The Royal Bank of Scotland has given Fairbridge a three-year grant for the independent living skills programme, which is now in its first year.
Participants come to Fairbridge in a variety of ways, but it is always voluntary. Sarah Clayton, the project co-ordinator, says: "They're all either excluded or at risk of exclusion. We have an outreach worker who goes to schools to tell them about our projects, and a lot of our referrals come through education welfare officers who identify that certain young people aren't doing anything."
Get to know each other
When they go to Fairbridge, the young people do a week-long access course, which typically includes two days in a Fairbridge centre and three days on a residential, where they do ice-breaking and problem-solving exercises.
"In the access course, we'll typically have 12 young people who don't know each other being taken out of their comfort zones," says Clayton.
"At the end of that week, if they've completed it, they're invited back to choose what courses they want to be involved in. The take-up rate after the access course is about 80 per cent."
The other courses include music, health and fitness and now the house make-overs. They have previously been run in Bristol and Southampton and take five days each. The young people are there from 9.30am to 3.30pm and do painting and carpentry. The work teaches them practical skills, but also helps the young people to gain a deeper insight into all the challenges of independent living, such as budgeting and doing housework.
Most of the young people had a rose-tinted view of independent living when they started on the project, but Clayton says that they have come to realise how challenging it is. Money, in particular, was an eye-opener.
As part of the project, the young people work through a theoretical 800 budget for someone setting up home.
"I think what really surprised them was the bills, and all the things you have to think about," says Clayton. "They were all coming up with big televisions and flash stereos, and suddenly there was no money left. But there's the gas, electricity, water, phone and TV licence. We broke everything down."
The budget exercise also included showing the young people how to make limited finances go further, by buying second-hand furniture and giving it a lick of paint, for example.
Such tips are also useful for Louise, who admits money is tight. She left home at 15 to go and live with her uncle, before getting a place in a Foyer where she shared accommodation. She moved into her flat six months ago. "Budgeting is the hardest thing about living alone," she says. "There are so many bills."
The difficulties of living alone
Seeing Louise having to cope with the everyday realities of living alone has brought the issue to life for the young people at Fairbridge. Lee Hart, 15, says the project has changed his view of independent living.
"I thought it would be easy," he says. "But this has shown me that it's not."
Lee attends school occasionally and spends the rest of his time working on Fairbridge projects. "I was excluded at school because I was naughty," he says. "That was six months ago. But I like doing this project because I used to paint with my dad and I enjoyed that. I do want to get a place of my own too, but not yet."
Like Lee, China Robinson, 14, divides her time between education and Fairbridge schemes. "I got thrown out of school at the start of Year 8 because I had behavioural problems," she says. "But I'm still in education. I split my time between Fairbridge and an educational centre for maths and English."
China says she got involved because she liked Louise and wanted to help.
"I don't want to live on my own now because I know that it's hard," she says.
But Fairbridge's aim isn't to scare young people off the idea of independent living. For many, it will be inevitable. This scheme tries to give them a realistic impression of the challenges, and the necessary skills. As well as budgeting, they learn about respecting other people and their boundaries.
Tamara Wilder, spokeperson for Fairbridge, says: "They have to respect Louise's space. It's about looking at boundaries. If something is not acceptable here, then it's not acceptable generally. In school, you're told what to do, but here young people can learn about the consequences of choices."
The learning has mostly been woven in through the work, rather than being formally presented. "When we're making the shelves, a young person might start a conversation and then it becomes young person-led," explains Clayton. "A lot of good issues get discussed in an informal setting. They're concentrating on doing the shelves, but they're chatting to you too."
That's why a project like this can be more helpful than just getting them to read a book about independent living, she adds. This way, they have ownership of the project and learn along the way. "It's a hands-on experience," says Clayton. "You could sit down with manuals, but you learn best by doing."
Clayton says she is convinced of the value of the project. "It's hard to put into words what formula we've got right," she says. "Many of these young people have been written off and yet they've turned up on time every morning. They may be living alone in the future and having these key skills is vital. If they've been excluded, where else can they learn them?"
Find out more: Fairbridge www.fairbridge.org.uk
HALTON YMCA TEACHES VALUE OF LIFE SKILLS
The Halton YMCA in Cheshire believes in taking a holistic approach to supporting its residents, rather than just providing a roof over their heads. It is a 69-bed facility, occupied mostly by young people in the 16 to 25 age range. Many go there straight from the family home, which they have left for any number of reasons, so very few have independent living skills. At the YMCA, an independent living skills tutor meets residents individually to form an action plan.
Andy Guile, fundraising and development manager, explains: "It covers things like cooking and making budgets. When they get their money for the fortnight, we will work out with them how it can be budgeted, and then come up with recipe ideas. They go on shopping trips to find out the best shops, bring the shopping back and go through the cooking and cleaning up process. They also learn about nutrition and healthy eating, and food hygiene."
Residents are strongly encouraged to participate in the scheme, particularly if they are not already doing something else such as going to college. When they have completed the aims of their action plan, the YMCA can refer them to the Housing Association to get their own home.
The benefits are not just practical, adds Guile. "It gives them confidence and social skills that many people take for granted - even if it's just sitting at a table and eating a meal with others," he says.
