Rock Trust has published an anthology of writing, called All The Way Home

Top Scottish authors have put pens to paper to help a campaigning Scottish charity celebrate its birthday.

Marking 30 years of its work supporting young people affected by homelessness, Rock Trust has published an anthology of writing, called All The Way Home.

It features new pieces by iconic Scottish writers such as Val McDermid (pictured above, launching the book), Scabby Queen author Kirstin Innes and Luckenbooth author Jenni Fagan, alongside personal essays by those who have experienced youth homelessness and work by emerging writers, including young people supported by the Rock Trust.

Across each contribution, the idea of ‘home’ is approached from a variety of perspectives, exploring the visible and invisible realities of home and homelessness, of family and belonging.

While the personal accounts of those who have experienced homelessness provide an essential representation of its brutal realities, the work of many of the established authors is informed by their own insights and interpretations of ‘home’.

By bringing together such a diverse group of voices and stories, the Rock Trust hopes to shine a spotlight on the complexities of youth homelessness and how the lives of Scotland’s young people are being affected every day.

Almost 7,000 young people in Scotland were declared homeless last year. This doesn’t include those who were not ‘officially homeless’ and captured in statistics. 

Kate Polson, chief executive of Rock Trust said, ‘Despite the high numbers of young people affected, youth homelessness is still hugely misunderstood and often a hidden crisis. Many young people are never declared homeless, they may not even realise themselves that they are homeless, moving between hostels or the sofas of friends, even strangers, just to keep a roof over their head. But they are not safe, and they need our help now.

“We are proud of what we have achieved as an organisation over the past 30 years, and this anthology is a powerful way for us to celebrate our journey, but it has also been an opportunity to reflect, question, and acknowledge how far we still have to go, if we are to truly see an end to youth homelessness in Scotland.’

It is being published by independent publisher, Taproot Press. The company’s Patrick Jamieson said: “As an Edinburgh-based publisher, Rock Trust's mission is one of particular significance to us, and we are determined to help produce a book worthy of honouring their 30 years of dedicated work. We hope that the publication of All The Way Home will help raise awareness of both Rock Trust's work and the on-going need to recognise youth homelessness in both its visible and invisible forms.’

All The Way Home is on sale from today (4 March), with launch events taking place in Edinburgh with Golden Hare Books on 16 March, and in Glasgow at Outwith Books on 17 March.

More information on how to purchase the book or tickets to either of the launches can be found at www.rocktrust.org/allthewayhome