Home and a Job

1. Home and a Job Durham County Hall 28th October 2013

2. Youth Homeless North East • We 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

3. 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 Today

4. 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!!

5. Welfare Reform Claire

6. Youth Educator Project

7. Youth Educators Centrepoint service users in the NE biggest source of income is DWP benefits

8. Youth Educators Quarter of young people in CP accommodation services have no access to a bank account or the internet

9. Youth Educators 42% of young people in CP accommodation services in the North East are not aware of the impact of Welfare Reform

10. 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

11. Impact for young people 66% of our young people see the changes will impact on their ability to move on from supported accommodation

12. 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

13. Neil BurkeRegional Development OfficerRegional Youth Work Unit Employment

14. Comfort break

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

16. The current context – what’s changing for the worse • Around 80,000 young people affected by homelessness in the UK each year • Welfare benefit changes – and more to come • Changes 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

17. The current context – what’s changing for the better • A few Youth Housing Strategies • Greater success of homelessness prevention initiatives and schemes • Better targeted housing support for young people • Initiatives for increasing housing options • Positive 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?

18. “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

19. Ordinary housing – social 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

20. Ordinary housing – private rented 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 agents • Possible gap between rent and Local Housing Allowance (HB) levels • Shared Accommodation Rate for under-35s • Rent deposit / cashless bond guarantee schemes important – help to afford to rent and to negotiate • Local Lettings Agencies • Voluntary sector buying own stock • Empty homes options

21. Ordinary housing – owning a home • Average house price Northern England: £143,397 • Would need income of £22,000 a year for a mortgage for a Co Durham flat £87,250 • Help to get a mortgage for first time buyers • Parents as part-owners / guarantors / lenders • New 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

22. 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 foyers • But blockages for people needing to move on into independence • New contracts in many areas – better schemes?

23. 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

24. Conclusions • Changes in the North East a mixed picture for young people • To some extent, easier for under 18s than 18-25s • We 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

25. Youth Voice Housing Options

26. Support

27. Lunch!

28. 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

29. The NHAS Specialist Support on Housing Advice

30. 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

31. Improving Outcomes for Young Peopler.org.uk A comprehensive online resource for all professionals working with young people

32. 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:

33. youngpeopleoutcomes.shelter.org.uk Housing services from local authorities Emergency housing options Tenancy rights Benefits and money Education and employment Family and health

34. NATIONAL  CITIZEN  SERVICE

35. 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.

36. NATIONAL  CITIZEN  SERVICE • www.NCSyes.co.uk • www.facebook.com/NCS

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

38. 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

39. 10 national organisations • Action for Blind People • Addaction • Age UK • Freedom from Torture • Gingerbread • National Debtline • Royal British Legion • Refugee Action • Refugee Council • RNIB

40. 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

41. NHAS contacts Anne Limbert Advice - Agency Practitioner Anne_Limbert@shelter.org.uk Maureen Smyth Maureen_Smyth@shelter.org.uk www.nhas.org.uk

42. Next steps … • Home & a Job Project • Positive Images Media Project • The Youth Housing Charter • YHNE Conference, 30th January, 2014

43. Kieran Platts • k.platts@centrepoint.org • Sharon Brown • sh.brown@centrepoint.org • Website: www.youthhomelessnortheast.org.uk • Twitter: @YouthHomelessNE