Home and a Job

Home and a Job

Durham County Hall28th October 2013

Youth Homeless North EastWe are an independent, action driven community of young people, strategists, commissioners and providers of youth homeless services.

Our Vision: To prevent, tackle and resolve homelessness experienced by young people aged 16 – 25 years old in the North East of England.

Our Aims are to: • Provide a voice for young people• Influence policy and strategy• Promote innovation and best practice• Bring about change to end youth homelessness• Lobbying and campaigning to bring about change

Today

Aims:• To provide an overview of

housing, support, welfare reform and employment

• To give young people the opportunity to discuss the issues they face with decision makers

• To use what we learn to inform strategy and services

Morning:

• Money• Employment

11.40 Break• Housing• Support

12.55 Lunch

Afternoon:

• Discussion activity

• Improving outcomes for young people

14.50 Next steps & close

HUMAN BINGO

• Move around the room asking different people the questions on your bingo sheet

• Write their name in the square if the answer is true for them.

• Names can only be used once. • The winner is the first person to get a full

line and to shout ‘Bingo’. • Only one name per square!!

Welfare Reform

Claire

Centrepoint, Miners Hall, Redhills, Durham, DH1 4BD • 0845 466 3400 • www.centrepoint.org.uk

Youth Educator Project

Centrepoint, Miners Hall, Redhills, Durham, DH1 4BD • 0845 466 3400 • www.centrepoint.org.uk

Youth Educators

• Centrepoint service users in the NE biggest source of income is DWP benefits

Centrepoint, Miners Hall, Redhills, Durham, DH1 4BD • 0845 466 3400 • www.centrepoint.org.uk

Youth Educators

•Quarter of young people in CP accommodation services have no access to a bank account or the internet

Centrepoint, Miners Hall, Redhills, Durham, DH1 4BD • 0845 466 3400 • www.centrepoint.org.uk

Youth Educators

•42% of young people in CP accommodation services in the North East are not aware of the impact of Welfare Reform

Centrepoint, Miners Hall, Redhills, Durham, DH1 4BD • 0845 466 3400 • www.centrepoint.org.uk

Impact for Young people

•34% are worried that this will affect their ability to effectively budget their money

•17% feel this will lead to an increase in Debt and Crime

Centrepoint, Miners Hall, Redhills, Durham, DH1 4BD • 0845 466 3400 • www.centrepoint.org.uk

Impact for young people

•66% of our young people see the changes will impact on their ability to move on from supported accommodation

Centrepoint, Miners Hall, Redhills, Durham, DH1 4BD • 0845 466 3400 • www.centrepoint.org.uk

•The biggest cause of debt amongst CP young people is rent arrears

•82% of young people across CP nationally are in debt owing £1000 on average

Neil BurkeRegional Development Officer

Regional Youth Work Unit

Employment

Comfort break

Home and a Job:Home and a Job:Housing and support Housing and support options for young options for young people in the North people in the North East East October 2013October 2013Sheila Spencer Co-ordinator, North East Regional Homelessness Group

The current context – what’s The current context – what’s changing for the worsechanging for the worseAround 80,000 young people affected

by homelessness in the UK each yearWelfare benefit changes – and more

to comeChanges in housing policy, notably

allocations policies and discharge into private rented sector

SP cuts - reductions in availability of supported housing and floating support

Lack of jobs

The current context – what’s The current context – what’s changing for the betterchanging for the betterA few Youth Housing Strategies Greater success of homelessness

prevention initiatives and schemesBetter targeted housing support for young

people Initiatives for increasing housing optionsPositive Pathway – minimising risk of

homelessness, successful transition to independence

Young people telling us what is needed and developing their own options

Can we help young people to get into ordinary housing, without having to be homeless first?

“Young people are increasingly squeezed out of the housing market and face a more drawn-out process of moving towards independent living.”

Joseph Rowntree Foundation paper: Improving housing outcomes for young people, 2011

Ordinary housing – social Ordinary housing – social housing housing In the NE, young people can get into social

housing without being homeless in most areas but…

Some Housing Associations only house under-18s in exceptional cases, often need guarantor

References can be difficult for new applicants Concern that rents are out of reach for young

people on low incomes Local lettings policies may restrict areas of

housing available Increasing use of lettings policies that give

preference to people in work or doing voluntary work

Long waiting lists for 1-bedroomed places Sharing now an option in social housing providers

Ordinary housing – private Ordinary housing – private rented sectorrented sector“Young people, particularly young people on benefits, tend to be viewed as one of the least desirable groups”Can get hold of private rented properties Increasing competition with students (in cities)Will need references Vetting by landlords / lettings agentsPossible gap between rent and Local Housing Allowance (HB) levels Shared Accommodation Rate for under-35sRent deposit / cashless bond guarantee schemes important – help to afford to rent and to negotiate Local Lettings AgenciesVoluntary sector buying own stock Empty homes options

Ordinary housing – owning a Ordinary housing – owning a homehomeAverage house price Northern England:

£143,397 Would need income of £22,000 a year for

a mortgage for a Co Durham flat £87,250Help to get a mortgage for first time buyersParents as part-owners / guarantors /

lendersNew options such as rent-to-purchase,

buying increasing share in a home, helping people leaving supported housing to save for a deposit

Other options: co-ownership, co-ops, buying jointly, self-build

Supported housing Supported housing Supported housing for under-25s,

emergency, second stage or both in most areas - but decreasing supply

Small increase in provision of supported lodging, Nightstop and longer term stays with host families, less use of B&B for under-18s

A few foyersBut blockages for people needing to

move on into independence New contracts in many areas –

better schemes?

Other options? Other options? Caravans – not good in NE

weather!Friends / relatives Sofa surfing / B&Bs / Houses in

Multiple Occupation Homeshare – supporting an

older / disabled person in return for a home

Conclusions Conclusions Changes in the North East a

mixed picture for young people To some extent, easier for under

18s than 18-25sWe need to develop more options

so that young people do not need to become homeless to get somewhere to live

Use the ideas we are hearing from young people themselves

Youth Voice

Housing Options

Support

Lunch!

Discussion – World cafe

•On the flip charts next to each table is a question

•Please move to a table and discuss the question, capturing the conversation on the table

•The facilitator remains at the table – everyone else moves to another table after 5 minutes

•The facilitator shares briefly the key points from the previous groups discussion, the new group then add to it again using the tablecloth

•Move around twice more after periods of 5 minutes until you have completed each question.

•The facilitator will feedback to everyone 3 key themes that have emerged

The NHAS

Specialist Support on Housing Advice

The National Homelessness Advice Service

• Partnership project between Shelter and Citizens Advice, since 1990

• Funded by Department of Communities and Local Government

• FREE membership FREE services

• 2nd tier specialist support on housing advice

Improving Outcomes for Young People

r.org.uk A comprehensive online resource for all professionalsworking with young people

youngpeopleoutcomes.shelter.org.uk

‘Improving Outcomes for Young People’ is a

comprehensive online resource for all professionals

working with young people, both housing specialists and

non-housing specialists.

Developed by Shelter and NHAS, the website provides information on housing options for 16–25 year olds along with Pathway models to help young people avoid homelessness. Areas covered include:

youngpeopleoutcomes.shelter.org.uk

• Housing services from local authorities

• Emergency housing options

• Tenancy rights

• Benefits and money

• Education and employment

• Family and health

NATIONAL  CITIZEN  SERVICE

NATIONAL  CITIZEN  SERVICE

WHAT IS NCS?

• NCS is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity open to all 16 & 17 year olds in England that helps you build your skills for work and life, while you take on new challenges and meet new friends.

NATIONAL  CITIZEN  SERVICE

• www.NCSyes.co.uk

• www.facebook.com/NCS

YouthNet

YouthNet's online guide to life for young people aged 16-25.

www.youthnet.org/

www.thesite.org

The National Homelessness Advice Service

Second tier specialist to;

• all 324 Local Authorities in England

• all CABx in England

• around 140 other local advice agencies

• 10 national organisations

10 national organisationsAction for Blind PeopleAddaction Age UKFreedom from TortureGingerbreadNational DebtlineRoyal British LegionRefugee ActionRefugee CouncilRNIB

Members have FREE access to all NHAS services including:

• telephone consultancy to give on the spot support when providing housing advice

• mortgage debt advice consultancy and case work referral service

• training on a range of housing subjects • Monthly ebulletin updates and information on

legislation and policy• resources to support and promote best practice

NHAS contacts Anne Limbert Advice - Agency Practitioner

Anne_Limbert@shelter.org.uk

Maureen Smyth

Maureen_Smyth@shelter.org.uk

www.nhas.org.uk

Next steps …

• Home & a Job Project

• Positive Images Media Project

• The Youth Housing Charter

• YHNE Conference, 30th January, 2014

• Kieran Platts

k.platts@centrepoint.org

• Sharon Brown

sh.brown@centrepoint.org• Website: www.youthhomelessnortheast.org.uk

• Twitter: @YouthHomelessNE