Memorandum by Nightstop UK (HOM 03)
1. In the 17 years of service in providing
emergency accommodation for single homeless 16-25 year olds NUK
has witnessed a consistent level of need for services, which is
probably reflected in the fact that the numbers of single young
people experiencing homelessness has remained frighteningly static
at approximately 300,000.
2. Single young people are the discrete
group on whom NUK concentrates its services and it is our experience
that too many of them are not having their longer term/permanent
accommodation needs addressed during the time that Nightstop schemes
are carrying out their holding role of providing emergency accommodation.
"One size fits all" is not an appropriate response to
the long term/permanent accommodation. If we can have personal
advisors in Connexions for young people in danger of educational
and employment drop-out couldn't a similar service be available
to homeless young people so that their accommodation and support
needs are properly addressed?
3. The drift of the young homeless population
out of their home area should in most cases be countered wherever
possible. However, the reasons for their homelessness are a major
consideration especially where a young person is homeless for
example as a result of fleeing violence or subject to abuse on
account of declaring their sexual orientation. There needs to
be an investment in support resources not only in the large conurbations
but also in the rural areas where the sense of hidden homelessness
can be quite acute. Our evidence is that 35% of all new Nightstop
schemes are happening in the rural areas.
4. The provision of non-housing support
services, we believe, are almost as important as the accommodation
services themselves, as indicated in paragraphs 2 and 3. The co-ordination
of these services could be best achieved through a Homelessness
Unit/Directorate rather than within Housing, notwithstanding that
there would need to be very close liaison between the two. This
compartmentalisation would rightly challenge the notion that giving
people a home is not an answer in itself if the appropriate support
services do not complement that provision. It is our opinion that
there needs to be a massive investment of financial and human
resources in this area and a more holistic appraisal made of the
needs of the homeless.
5. The public agencies are not effective
in preventing people becoming homeless. Currently their role is
like ambulances going around picking up the casualties after the
event. The prevention of homelessness needs to be seen more in
terms of influencing and educating people. Many Nightstop schemes
are not only providing emergency accommodation but are also involved
in delivering education programmes in upper schools in order to
promote the prevention of homelessness. For these initiatives
to be enhanced voluntary organisations such as Nightstop need
increased financial resources in order to employ skilled personnel
to work in schools of all age groups so that the prevention programmes
have opportunity to increase in influence. We believe this sort
of input from the voluntary sector would complement the formal
education process.
Greg Thomson,
Chief Officer, Nightstop UK
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