Young people ‘should be empowered to deal with homelessness’
Fiona Simpson
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Young people should be empowered to deal with the risk of homelessness, according to a new report.
Research by charity Homeless Link states that “in many cases, the range of services intended to support young people are not helping to promote the assets they need to build their own strengths and agency.”
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Funding Focus - Covid recovery funding
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Through a series of interviews with young people who had experienced homelessness, the charity found that “ending youth homelessness not only requires spotting prevention opportunities and tackling the under-resourced system, but also ensuring that we provide services that support young people as capable and passionate agents for change who deserve a role in decisions that affect them.”
Latest figures from Centrepoint show that in 2018/19 approximately 91,500 young people aged 16-24 approached their local council for help due to risk of homelessness, however, Homeless Link says this does not include hundreds of “hidden homeless” young people who have not approached their council.
The research found that the biggest challenges facing homeless young people included insufficient welfare support, lack of information, unreliable support from statutory services, barriers to accessing and sustaining education, training or work.
One young person said: “The council couldn’t help me, I had nowhere to go so I climbed a tree so people couldn’t attack me and slept outside for a few weeks. I remembered it from Hunger Games. I met people in the streets that told me about this place.”
Another added: “No one offered me mental health support, I was a victim of domestic violence and the council did nothing. I should have just stayed, so what if I get punched, at least I have a warm bed and food in my belly. I’m asking for help and no one can help me. The council put me in a place, it had no flooring, nothing. I haven’t had to make any decisions for eight years, not even what I wear. How was I supposed to do all that without help? I am still sleeping on the streets after my money runs out and I can’t afford to sofa surf.”
The charity has now called on the government to form a cross-party strategy to prevent and end youth homelessness.
“This strategy should be fully funded and accountable, with a focus on supporting partnership working, early intervention and prevention,” the report states.
Other recommendations include funding schools to identify and support young people at risk of youth homelessness, investment in mental health services in non-health, community settings and the creation of a welfare safety net for young people.
“Systemic disadvantages have created and sustained a youth homelessness crisis in England for some time. These have worsened with the Covid-19 pandemic, with evidence that more young people are already finding themselves homeless and in need of support,” the report states.