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Creative approaches to
preventing homelessness
Monday 15 May
#crisisconf
Welcome
Margaret-Ann Brunjes, (Chair)
Director of Glasgow Homelessness Network
Panellists
•
•
•
•
Samantha Dorney-Smith, Senior Nursing Fellow, Pathways,
Linda Gibb, DWP Edinburgh
Debbie Alexander, Service Manager, CHAP, Ayrshire
Diane Marr, Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution
ESES Homelessness Strategy
Linda Gibb
Customer Service Leader
Edinburgh
ESES Homelessness Strategy
District
Lead
Work
Coach
Cluster
Lead
Office
Lead
Customer
Service
Delivery
Providers
Providers
Edinburgh Homelessness Strategy
DWP Strategy: Increasing our awareness and understanding of homelessness issues by engaging and
working with all partners and providers- Continuing to build Work Coach knowledge and capability -Ensuring
that we identify claimants needs at the earliest opportunity- Preventing homelessness where possible Making appropriate use of easements-Referring to sources of support and provision-Monitoring our activityImproving the individual customer journey
DWP Key Roles: Homelessness Leads - Service Delivery Team Leaders - Work Coaches
DWP Engagement: Partner Forums,
Working Groups, Events, Partnerships,
Partners, providers, Awareness Visits,
Community 10,000
Provider: The Rock Trust
Provider: Streetwork
CEC: Out of Hours Service
DWP Awareness: Visits, Community
10,000 Placements, Instructions, DPT, Work
Coach Digital Aide, Websites, Leaflets
CEC: Neighbourhood Support
Service
DWP Monitoring: Monthly MI
CEC: Housing Options Team
CEC: The Access Point
Housing, Social Work and
Health (Access to Hostels)
Providers: Homeless
Prevention Service
(South/East) – Cyrenians,
Penumbra, Health in Mind,
CHAI, Crossreach, CEC
Providers: Edinburgh Crisis
Centre – CEC, NHS Lothian,
Penumbra, Edinburgh Carers
Council, Edinburgh Crisis
Centre Users
Provider: Crisis Skylight
Provider: Shelter Scotland
Provider: Armed Services
Advice Project
Provider: Bethany Christian
Trust
Provider: Freshstart
DWP Partnership: DWP/DTTO Initiative
DWP, DTTO, NHS Lothian
DWP Partnership: Benefit Cap Partnership
DWP, CEC, Partners, Providers
DWP Partnership: Benefit Cap Working
Group (Lone Parents)
DWP,CEC, OPFS, Making it Work
Provider: Salvation Army
Provider: Home owners’
Support Fund
Providers: Edinburgh Housing
Advice Partnership – CHAI,
Granton Information Centre,
Foursquare, Move On,
Changeworks
DEBBIE ALEXANDER
SERVICES MANAGER
OVERVIEW OF CHAP
• Established in 1997
• Provides a variety of services across Ayrshire in regard to
the prevention of homelessness
• Also able to offer advice and assistance on welfare rights
and debt issues
EDUCATION SERVICE
•
Delivering a Programme of homelessness education workshops to young
people across North Ayrshire
•
Delivered since 2005
•
Service Level Agreement with North Ayrshire Council
•
Number of young people who have received input since start of project 23,283
AIMS OF EDUCATION WORKSHOPS
•
To prevent youth homelessness
•
Raise awareness of the reality of homelessness
•
To destigmatise the issue of homelessness
It is intended that the lessons will encourage young people to carefully
consider their options before taking the decision to leave home and to
enable them to identify who would be able to assist them with housing
issues.
SERVICES PROVIDED
• PSE
• ALTERNATIVE CURRICULUM
• YOUTH GROUPS
• STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
OVERVIEW OF WORKSHOPS
• A general overview of the severity of homelessness in North Ayrshire
• An interactive DVD to raise awareness of the reality of homelessness
• Activities which aim to show that homelessness can happen to anyone and can occur
for a variety of reasons
• A brief overview of housing options available to young people
• Examples of weekly budgets which highlight how challenging managing money can be
and the financial reality of leaving home
METHODS OF DELIVERY
• Interactive activities/games/quizzes
• CHAP adapt workshops to meet the needs of the young people in the
identified group (i.e. using visual aids to reduce the need for reading
and writing)
The direct work with the young people is complimented by the youth website which CHAP have
developed. The website provides young people with a way of retrieving information and advice on
various issues surrounding homelessness and leaving home.
EVALUATION
• All young people who have received input are asked to complete an evaluation form
• Teachers and group leaders are also asked to provide feedback
• Independent evaluation carried out annually by the North Ayrshire Youth Council
Workshops and resources are developed continuously as a result of feedback
FEEDBACK FROM YOUNG PEOPLE
• From all the young people that the project has worked with since
2005, 96% have conveyed that they found the sessions useful
• As well as enjoying the sessions, 95% of the young people have
indicated that they would consider leaving home more carefully as a
result of CHAP’s input
“It’s much harder to stay in my own house by myself than I originally thought”
”I learned that homelessness can happen at anytime, anywhere and to anyone”
FEEDBACK FROM SCHOOLS/YOUTH GROUPS
“Excellently led programme that keeps pupils interested
and hopefully be beneficial in the future”
“Course delivered in a pupil centred way. All encouraged
to participate”
“An excellent programme educating young people about
the realities of leaving home”
“The talks the school have from CHAP are both
entertaining and interesting. The pupils react very
positively during these sessions and are always keen to
get involved with the lessons”
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
DEBBIE ALEXANDER
Services Manager
01294 475631
[email protected]
www.chap.org.uk
www. chap-at-the-door.org.uk
Interactive session
Margaret-Ann Brunjes, (Chair)
Director of Glasgow Homelessness Network
Questions for discussion on tables
1. Do you have any reflections on the examples you’ve just heard? What works or
could work in your area?
2. What services are likely to encounter people who are at risk of homelessness but
who haven’t yet reached crisis point? How might they gather this information?
3. What action can be taken at this early stage to prevent these people becoming
homeless? Who should be responsible for this and how would we make sure it
happens?
Feedback / Q & A