Homeless youngsters given lodgings in spare rooms

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities

A Herefordshire organisation that supports young homeless people has found lodgings for two 17-year-olds.

Supported Housing for Young People (SHYPP) managed to find the lodgings at homes in Worcestershire, and is now calling for others with spare rooms to come forward to help.

SHYPP - which is part of Kemble Housing and WM Housing Group - launched its supported lodgings scheme at the start of the year. It is aimed at providing accommodation for those aged 16-21 who become homeless.

The latest call comes on the back of government figures released in September which showed that the West Midlands had the most homeless households in England outside of London - and that 33% of the area's homeless households related to those aged 16-24.

The project is seeking hosts who can provide a temporary home and a supportive environment for the youngsters, who need support to prepare them for living independently.  Hosts will receive a weekly payment and training.

One of the 17-year-olds, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “Supported lodgings have turned my life around.  If I look back at how bad things were and look at my life now, things have changed so much for the better.  Now I’m thinking about the future and I’ve got a place at college.  My supported lodgings host has helped me to sort things out and we get on really well.”

Anna Hill, SHYPP supported lodgings worker, said: “In an ideal world no young person should be at risk of homelessness, but we are dealing with reality. We get referrals for young people who are homeless because of a breakdown in family relationships, or who are leaving care. We even receive some young unaccompanied asylum seekers fleeing war or persecution.  The young people have differing backgrounds, but they all need a warm and secure place to stay with some support – just like the rest of us.

“If you think you could help, please get in contact, because you could make a real difference to the rest of a young person’s life.”