The Prince and Princess of Wales made their seventh joint visit to Northern Ireland on Friday, focusing on employment support for young people at risk of homelessness. Their first stop was The Commons, a former church on Belfast's Ormeau Road that has been transformed into a community centre, where they met employers, frontline organisations and participants in the New Employment Opportunities Network (NEON).
NEON is an initiative launched by the Royal Foundation under William's Homewards programme, which aims to end homelessness. The network helps young people at risk of homelessness overcome barriers through employment and support networks. According to reports on the programme, since NEON began, seven employers have taken on 21 young people, demonstrating the practical impact of the initiative.
The couple were greeted on arrival by Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, Belfast mayor Róis-Máire Donnelly and south Belfast MP Claire Hanna. Standing in the rain, Little-Pengelly shared a light moment with Prince William.
William and Catherine then met David and Jill Hines, directors of The Commons, and toured the regenerated church building. Inside, they saw several local craft groups, including Flourish and Sew-cial Circle, which operate from the space.
Why does this programme focus on care-experienced young people?
The Northern Ireland pilot specifically targets care-experienced young people because the statistics are stark. According to research on the issue, almost two-thirds of care leavers in Northern Ireland have experienced homelessness after leaving care, and 42% did so within their first two years. During the visit, the couple met Steven, a Belfast care leaver, who discussed what support could help young people leaving care get into work.
What makes homelessness different across the UK?
William highlighted during the visit that regions across the UK have
massively different ways and problems to tackle homelessness. This recognition underscores why Homewards, the five-year programme launched in 2023, operates through regional pilots rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The Homewards initiative aims to make homelessness
rare, brief and unrepeated. NEON's lessons from Northern Ireland are already being used to shape networks in four other Homewards locations across the UK.
As the couple departed The Commons, hundreds of people who had waited in the rain outside greeted them. William and Catherine shook hands, took selfies with the crowd, and William made a FaceTime call to the mother of one of those waiting.
What happens next for the programme?
The visit was part of a one-day programme, with the couple expected to meet other community groups connected to Homewards later in the day. Looking ahead, Homewards has committed to working with employers to create permanent roles offering flexibility, mentoring and wraparound support for care-experienced young people entering the workforce.
This visit marks the couple's return to Northern Ireland after a year away. Their last visit was to a training college in Cookstown for fire-fighters. The Prince and Princess of Wales first visited Belfast in 2011, a month before their wedding, when they attended City Hall. During that trip, they also visited a youth charity in the city and had lunch with the then Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson at Hillsborough Castle.
Key Facts
- NEON has placed 21 young people with seven employers since its launch in Northern Ireland
- Almost two-thirds of care leavers in Northern Ireland experience homelessness after leaving care
- Homewards is a five-year programme aiming to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated across the UK
- NEON's model is being replicated in four other Homewards locations across the country
