- NYHS home
- NYHS activities and events
- Action learning projects
National Youth Homelessness Scheme
Action learning projects
This module showcases innovative schemes developed by local authorities and YMCAs to prevent and tackle youth homelessness. Communities and Local Government has match funded the development of these schemes as part of the National Youth Homelessness Scheme.
In partnership with relevant local authorities and other agencies YMCA's have developed services variously combining
- BME community lodgings
- Holistic assessments
- Move-on in the private rented sector
- Schools work
- Family support (mediation)
- Supported lodgings
The principle of each project is that young people will have new homelessness prevention and accommodation options to complement existing local services.
In addition, two further schemes for supported lodgings were developed, to complete a series of four exemplar supported lodgings services, with Milton Keynes Borough Council and with Merseyside Accommodation Project (MAP).
Contact action learning projects
All the YMCAs and other organisations engaged with the development of action learning and exemplar supported lodgings services are willing to act as reference sites and welcome enquiries and visits. Contact Jo Gunner, Policy Officer at YMCA England for further information - jo.gunner@england.ymca.org.uk - or contact exemplar supported lodgings services direct.
More detailed information about the early stages of developing these services is provided in the Case Studies below. Materials from the developing services are available on the YMCA England website.
Where the projects are
Eastern
Chelmsford: Schools work and supported lodgings
London
Harrow: Supported lodgings
Lambeth: Supported lodgings for BME young people
South East
Brighton and Hove: Strategic development
Milton Keynes: Supported Lodgings
Yorkshire & The Humber
Wakefield: Early Intervention
North West
Fylde and Wyre: Education, Mediation and Life Skills package
Merseyside: Supported Lodgings
Outcomes from the Action Learning projects
In their first year, the six YMCA Step-in Projects reached 1,396 teenagers:
- 1,174 with early advice/education,
- 85 with family support/mediation
- 137 with a safe place to live and support for the future
Local authorities set stretch targets regarding the use of bed and breakfast and rates of Homeless acceptances, which were all met.
