Leaving protective care for independent living is one of the hardest transitions a young person can face. Without a proper place to live and keep building the skills that autonomy takes, young women in this position face real risks: interrupted studies, difficulty finding or keeping a job, and no real stability to build a life on.
The project
The project renovates and equips an apartment as a genuine transitional home, giving young women a dignified, safe and functional space to live in as they move gradually towards independence, supported throughout by a professional team. The home takes a gender-aware approach, recognising the specific barriers and risks young women face at this stage, and works to build autonomy, self-esteem and confidence, treating each resident as the lead in her own future rather than a case to manage.
Daily life in the home, alongside ongoing professional support, builds healthy relationships, a sense of responsibility, and the kind of support network that makes independence genuinely sustainable rather than a cliff edge at 18 years old.
Who the project is for
The home has capacity for 6 young women at a time, who typically stay for around two years as they move through this transition. Given resident turnover, the project is expected to directly support at least 30 young women over the next 10 years.
Its impact reaches further, to the professional teams who support residents, to future generations of young women who will use the home after them, and to the wider community, which benefits as more young women build a genuinely independent life.
Project name: Construyendo autonomía: habilitación de una vivienda de transición para universitarias de Aldeas Infantiles SOS Chile
Proposing organisation: Aldeas Infantiles SOS Chile
Area of intervention: Inclusion & Social Development
Country: Chile