Radical new approach to youth homelessness
IT IS a year since the Welsh Government said it would give £10m to help towards its target of ending youth homelessness in Wales by 2027.
Young people often become homeless for complex and interrelated reasons. Experts say common reasons are family breakdowns, violence against women, sexual violence, domestic abuse or substance misuse.
Today, First Minister Carwyn Jones has revealed how the money he promised – intended to spot those at risk of becoming homeless sooner and to take preventative action – will be spent.
A total of £3.7m will be given to improve the way in which the education system and youth work service identify and intervene early enough to support young people at risk of homelessness.
Of that, £1.1m will be used to train school-based counsellors, youth workers and education welfare officers. They will be given resources to make sure they know how to support young people.
Co-ordinators at council level will get £1.5m to ensure that young people identified as at risk are quickly matched with the appropriate support services.
An Innovation Fund will get £4.8m to develop new housing approaches for young people, which could include support for young people leaving care.
The new money is meant to find innovative ideas for the housing options available, and promote innovation in the support available, complimenting rather than duplicating existing services.
Another £250,000 will be given to communications and engagement programmes. One is for professionals and the other for young people.
Both are intended to improve awareness, understanding and takeup of the services available.
This campaign’s work will look for co-ordinated messages from across government and work with the charity-led End Youth Homelessness Cymru campaign to ensure the messages are reaching young people.
Shelter Cymru will get £250,000 to improve its tenancy support work and boost its existing helpline to ensure young people have better access to information, advice and support services to help them keep a tenancy.
The idea is for different organisations to work together, ensuring helpline and web-based services provide a complete and co-ordinated approach.
A £1m St David’s Day Fund will provide practical financial support to care leavers looking for independence.
Since it launched last year, it has provided 1,900 care leavers with financial support to build a home life, including deposits for homes or driving lessons to access employment and education.
Mr Jones said: “Too many young people are facing a future that can seem bleak, unfair and inevitable due to insecure housing. That’s why we’re committed to ending youth homelessness by 2027.
“Our approach is bold, innovative and focused on interventions that make a real difference to the lives of young people facing homelessness – already since 2015 over 18,000 have been prevented from becoming homeless.”
The Minister for Housing and Regeneration, Rebecca Evans said: “There are a number of complex, but often interrelated, factors which lead to young people becoming homeless. This is not just a housing issue; it is much wider than that.
“This is why earlier this year the First Minister asked me to chair a task and finish group looking at youth homelessness, which is working across government and beyond.
“We recognise tackling this issue requires a unified approach from youth services, social services, education, mental health, substance misuse, youth justice and other services,” she added.