Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017 - Monday 11th December 2017 MEA House, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8XS - Youth Homeless ...
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Shout Action Change @
Christmas 2017
Monday 11th December 2017
MEA House, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8XS
Report compiled by David Whalley
Regional Project Officer
Acknowledgements The staff and board at Youth Homeless North East greatly appreciate the contributions from all young people in attendance at the Shout Action Change event and to staff from YMCA Tees Valley, YMCA North Tyneside and De Paul in South Tyneside for supporting young people on the day. We could not make a difference without your input so THANK YOU. We would also like to thank: - Paul Irwin, Adele Irving, our funders and to the following for their kind donations that made the day possible: TSB Northumberland Street Branch, The Body Shop, Lush UK, Intu Shopping Centres and Marks and Spencer plc – THANK YOU! Page 2 | Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017
Introduction
Youth Homeless North East (YHNE) aim to prevent, tackle and resolve homelessness
experienced by young people aged 14-25 in the North East of England. We do this by
working closely with regional partners and, most importantly, young people to ensure that
their voice is heard to shape pragmatic, practical solutions to youth homelessness.
The ‘Shout Action Change’ events are an opportunity to bring together partners from local
authorities, voluntary sector and other providers with young people to discuss the issues
that are important to them.
This event was also an opportunity to share the findings from our reports into the impact
that New Psychoactive Substances (NPS; former ‘Legal Highs) have had on young homeless
people and to also from the annual survey into youth homelessness in the North East of
England.
We held a ‘world café’ activity to ensure that young people could engage in meaningful
conversations around issues that affect them and gave young people the opportunity to
sign up to help with future projects.
This report will highlight what was discussed on the day and what young people were
telling us about issues that directly affect them.
Finally, the event was an opportunity to have some lunch, eat some festive mince pies and
listen to, and join in with, some live Christmas carol singing with the Sage Silver Singers
Choir!
Speakers on the day
Sharon Brown Director, Youth Homeless North East
https://www.yhne.org.uk/about-us/meet-the-team/
Paul Irwin Director, TryLife and Trustee, Youth Homeless North East
http://www.trylife.tv/about-us
Adele Irving Senior Lecturer for Criminology, Northumbria University
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/our-staff/i/adele-irving/
David Whalley Regional Project Officer, Youth Homeless North East
https://www.yhne.org.uk/about-us/meet-the-team/
Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017 | Page 3
Overview of the Day Sharon Brown – Director, Youth Homeless North East Sharon welcomed everybody to the event and set the context for the day, emphasising the importance of young people being given a voice and encouraging those present to speak up and share their stories and points of view. Sharon also gave an overview of the work done by YHNE over the past year, spoke about YHNE establishing themselves as an independent charity and emphasised the importance of preventative work and the challenges that are facing young people, local authorities and housing providers. Paul Irwin – Director, TryLife and Trustee, Youth Homeless North East Paul spoke emotively about his work with TryLife. TryLife is a series of interactive episodes where young people can make the choice about what happens next – covering different issues that affect young people, it allows those watching to see the consequences of their choices. Paul also shared how his past experiences have shaped where he is now and emphasised the importance of giving young people a chance to shape their own futures. Paul shared a clip from the newest episode of TryLife which can be seen here. (http://www.trylife.tv/episodes/jacob). ‘I have found the entire event really interesting. The best part is hearing the voice of the young people…I have learned that homelessness is not as simple as being on the streets’ Adele Irving - Senior Lecturer for Criminology, Northumbria University Adele, who compiled the YHNE Annual Survey into Youth Homelessness in the North East, presented the findings from the 2017 survey. Adele shared that, overall, youth homelessness has remained steady, in terms of numbers, from last year but found that the mental health needs of young people have increased significantly. This overtakes a lack of independent living skills as the number one support need for young homeless people in the North East. Adele also shared that the main reason for young people becoming homeless was a breakdown in relationships at home. Some key findings were: Page 4 | Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017
• More than ¾ of Local Authorities reported a decrease in the number seeking advice
and support.
• Most common characteristics: being aged 16-17 years old, being a young parent or
pregnant young person.
• Just over a third perceived increases in: the number of young people presenting with
complex needs; the complexity of need
The Support Needs of Homeless Young People in February 2017.
Adele’s presentation and a copy of the YHNE Annual Survey can be found here.
David Whalley – Regional Project Officer, Youth Homeless North East
Youth Homeless North East have been running a project looking at the impact that NPS
(former ‘legal’ highs) have had on young homeless people in the North East – the Shout
Action Change event was an opportunity to share the findings and let people know what
would be happening next. Some of the key findings from the report were:
• Importance of awareness raising and education
• Social Media can play a role in shaping how people see/understand NPS
• Holistic approach required to working with those who use NPS
The presentation then set out what the next steps would be for the NPS project – this
Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017 | Page 5includes:
• Engaging young people from across the North East
• Working with Young People to co-produce awareness raising sessions for other
young people
• ‘Self-help’ toolkit for young people including practical resources for them to use
The presentation also set out how many young people were currently engaged and what
work had been completed so far. To see the full presentation, click here. A copy of the NPS
Report can be seen and downloaded from here.
‘Food and Christmas carols were
excellent!’
‘I made quite a few valid points and I
feel that they were all listened to and
appreciated’
Project Sign Up
Following the NPS presentation, young people at the event were given the opportunity to
sign up to volunteer for various YHNE Projects. The projects available to the young people
were:
• NPS Project
• Mental Health Project
• Youth Champions
• Website/App Development
Overall, 14 young people signed up to help with YHNE Projects.
Page 6 | Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017World Café Activity
The main aim of YHNE’s ‘Shout, Action, Change’ events are to enable young people to have
their views heard and give them the opportunity to speak with professionals from local
authorities and other partner organisations.
For this event, a ‘World Café’ activity was used to ensure that young people were able to
‘have their say’ on different topics. The topics chosen for this event were:
• Universal Credit
• Mental Health
• Affordable Housing
Delegates at the event were given the opportunity to spend 10-15 minutes on each topic
and were encouraged to write down their thoughts and feelings – overall, this worked well
and there were some excellent suggestions, views and feelings expressed and the
engagement from the young people present was fantastic to see.
We have collated the feedback and we have included a selection of the comments on each
topic below. The full list can be found at Appendix 1.
Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017 | Page 7Mental Health
• Provide help when people ask for it, not when services say they need it – and where
they feel comfortable accessing support
• Scared to ask for help in fear of getting criticised
• How to get young people to recognise when they have mental health problems
• Better basic training for front line staff (mindfulness / NLP/ CBT)
‘Accept that mental health issues are unlikely to be in isolation
i.e. drugs, alcohol, sex exploitation, domestic violence’
• More physical and emotional support instead of tablets
• Empowerment and a voice
• Early intervention – schools and workshops
• Be non-judgemental – help everyone
• Understanding that keeping appointments may be problematic – 3 strikes and you
are out - does not work and is not helpful
‘How can you tell people how you feel if you don’t
understand how you feel yourself?’
Page 8 | Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017Universal Credit
• Transition from benefits to UC needs to be managed better
• Monthly payments instead of fortnightly doesn’t work
‘Waiting time means you start your
tenancy/independence in debt’
• Long time before getting paid again results in loans then results in debt
• Act on the delays in getting the money to people. This places people in crisis
unnecessarily. Automatic trigger 6 weeks prior to form needing to be submitted –
this closes the gap
• Landlords won’t accept Universal Credit claimants
• Alternative payment arrangements for housing element (hard to get direct
payments)
• Increase provision for single young people
• Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentres can help more
• Split payments up as young people are still learning to manage finances
• Allow support staff to advocate on clients’ behalf confidentially agreements to
disclose and discuss
Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017 | Page 9Affordable Housing
• Support with budgeting
• Bills are too high – heating especially
• Shared accommodation? – stealing/ safety
‘Rent too high, can’t afford to get a job’
• Need to be affordable supported housing affordable enough to get a job so young
people don’t feel trapped by the benefit system
• Young People should have a say in council housing plans
• Council housing unfurnished, cost of setting up home means moving on can be
unaffordable. Council don’t take this into consideration for young people
Page 10 | Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017‘I think it is essential to involve YP in these kinds
of events and their feedback about housing, ‘Overall, a very informative
mental health and universal credit has been event…Thank You!’
really useful’
Appendix 1
Mental Health Table
• Accept that mental health issues are unlikely to be in isolation i.e. drugs, alcohol, sex exploitation, domestic
violence
• Provide help when people ask for it, not when services say they need it – and where they feel comfortable
accessing support
• Scared to ask for help in fear of getting criticised
• How can you tell people how you tell if you don’t understand how you feel yourself?
• Lonely – nobody understands
• Sometimes you don’t understand your own thoughts and feelings
• Support via social activities i.e. paintballing etc. and more outreach
• Financial issues have an effect on mental health – tailored support for this
• No one understands what’s going on in your head
• How to get young people to recognise when they have mental health problems
• Better basic training for front line staff (mindfulness / NLP/ CBT/ Motivational interviews) MHFA.
• More physical and emotional support instead of tablets
• What is available? Where to get help?
• Peer support, Empowerment and a voice, Signposting
• Make mental health at the forefront of schools, work, etc.
• Early intervention – schools and workshops
• All services to refer to partners. Too many agencies and providers are strained
• Be non-judgemental – help everyone
• Flexibility of when/ how services are delivered
Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017 | Page 11• Understanding that keeping appointments may be problematic – 3 strikes and you are out does not work
and is not helpful
Universal Credit Table
• Transition from benefits to UC needs to be managed better
• Monthly payments instead of fortnightly doesn’t work
• Long time before getting paid again results in loans then results in debt
• There are HUGE issues with UC (56 pages)
• People are losing their qualifications due to the form and the questions not reflecting their circumstances
• Not everyone can read or write – help for them?!
• Need a bank account for UC. Can’t get bank account (no proof of address). Without an address so how do
you manage when you are homeless?
• Budgeting – how can you live on that amount of money?
• Take action on the delays in getting the money to people. This places people in crisis unnecessarily.
Automatic trigger 6 weeks prior to form needing to be submitted – this closes the gap.
• Lobby local politicians to take the issue to parliament.
• How? – by lobbying
• It’s not good, it stresses you out. It needs changing
• Too generalised – look at individual need
• People should be encouraged to work – not to lose money
• Peer mentors, increased support for people transitioning to UC including bedroom tax
• Landlords won’t accept UC claimants
• Alternative payment arrangements for housing element (hard to get direct payments)
• Financial acumen in national curriculum
• Need to educate
• Money management training as part of JC+ agreement
• Sanctions – if couple of minutes late for appointments money is stopped, applied for hardship got half the
money
• Obscene waiting time from making a claim to first payment.
• Increase provision for single young people U18’s
• What should we take action on?
• Too many people lying about mental health for ESA and making it harder for hard working people who are ill
and unable to live
• Bridging the gap between applying and first payment – alert before 18th birthday to get application
processed in time i.e. 6 weeks.
• Child Benefit – lose the limit, (religious beliefs), remove caps
• Waiting time means you start your tenancy/independence in debt
• DWP and Jobcentres can help more
• Peer mentors, increase awareness, education, individual cases – all help go around in continuous circle
• Lobbying
• Emergency payments
• Split payments up as young people are still learning to manage finances
• Cost of living goes up but DWP payments don’t
• Care leavers challenge – Can policy makers live off £56 a week? - We need to raise awareness of this and
make changes
• Deductions are very high if you get an advance payment or over payment - need to know the system to
challenge – it’s not easy!
• Allow support staff to advocate on clients’ behalf confidentially agreements to disclose and discuss.
• Complex system to navigate – especially on your own!
Page 12 | Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017Affordable Housing
• Help from estate agents – they won’t take paper bonds
• Set of standards for estate agents?
• Consider transport costs
• Support with budgeting
• Rent too high, can’t afford to get a job
• Bills too high – heating especially
• Separate service for those on low incomes
• Rent payments supported until income increases
• Reduce rents
• More bedsits as part of a pathway to housing
• Take account of income level i.e. benefits
• Location to avoid isolation
• LHA for U35’s – shared room rate – Sunderland is £45 per week
• Social landlords are more flexible with homeless people
• Look at what is around. Looking at the individual’s current income and what is in their budget. All services
• Shared accommodation? – stealing/ safety
• Need to be affordable supported housing affordable enough to get a job so young people don’t feel trapped
by the benefit system
• Young People should have a say in council housing plans
• Government, MP’s and councils should listen to us
• Engage and incentivise landlords
• Housing first ode for all young people not just those with high needs
• Set of standards for SR sector and young people affected by homelessness.
• Young People share personal stories which helps
• Cost of living is increasing but benefits stay the same.
• Free council tax for care leavers in Durham now in place. www.durham.gov.uk and www.durhamcicc.co.uk
• Council housing unfurnished, cost of setting up home means moving on can be unaffordable. Council don’t
take this into consideration for young people.
• No support with managing money, getting into debt so can’t afford housing, can’t afford to get out of arrears
– it’s a vicious circle.
• Raise standards – are HMO’s unavoidable? Better inter-agency working with landlords. More robust RDs
programmes. Building bridges between support agents and landlords.
• Can’t get a job (lack of jobs) some people have to turn to cash in hand/crime / drug dealing to afford the cost
of living and housing.
• All services should work in partnership
• Research, voice, advocate for the individual
• Quantity, private sector
Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017 | Page 13Youth Homeless North East 1st Floor MEA House Ellison Place Newcastle NE1 8XS t 0191 2551911 e info@yhne.org.uk w www.yhne.org.uk t @YouthHomelessNE fb.com/YouthHomelessNorthEast Registered Charity No. 1172379 | Registered Limited Company No. 1033844 Page 14 | Shout Action Change @ Christmas 2017
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