How can Gateshead young people’s homeless prevention service help me?
If you are 16 or 17 years old and in housing need, one of our young people’s homeless prevention project workers can help you by:
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assessing your situation and needs
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mediating with your parents/carers if there is a possibility that you could return home
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helping you access emergency accommodation if you are homeless
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referring you to supported accommodation if that meets your needs
What do I do if I need help?
Are you under 18 and have nowhere to stay tonight?
Go and see the young people’s homeless prevention worker based at Connexions at Gateshead Interchange between 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm Monday - Friday.
If you are homeless and it is after 6pm or at the weekend you can contact the emergency homeless officer by ringing the Civic Centre on 0191 477 0844.
Are you under 18 and don’t need somewhere for tonight but can only stay where you are on a short term basis?
You can come to the drop in at Connexions Monday - Friday, 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm, as this is a drop in you may have to wait to be seen. Alternatively you can contact the Young people’s Homeless Prevention Service on 0191 433 6800 to arrange an appointment.
Are you under 18 and are not in need of urgent accommodation?
The Young People’s Homeless Prevention Worker will speak to you about your situation and give you advice about your housing options.
What is involved in assessing my needs?
The Homeless Prevention Project Worker will speak to you about your current situation and see what they can do to help. The Young People’s Homeless Prevention Service use a document called the Common Assessment Framework (or CAF for short) which involves listening to you to find out what help you need and what is working well in your life. We will then put an action plan together with you to make sure you get the right sort of help. Please ask your Homeless Prevention Project Worker if you have any questions or would like more information about the CAF process.
As part of the assessment we will contact the people you normally live with, where this is safe to do so, to see if there is anything that can be done to stop you from becoming homeless. We will also speak to other people who are helping to support you to make sure that you are getting all the help that you need.
What are the possible outcomes of an assessment?
We can work with you and your parents or carers to try to improve things at home so living together is easier - this may be achieved through mediation. This can be a better option for a young person as it is more difficult managing your own home than it seems.
Emergency accommodation
If you have nowhere safe to stay then the homeless prevention project worker will secure emergency accommodation for you by working with Gateshead Council.
This will be for as short a time as possible. Emergency accommodation is not a long term option and your worker from the Young People’s Homeless Prevention Service and your housing options officer will work with you to move you on to more settled accommodation as quickly as possible. In most cases this will be supported accommodation.
Supported accommodation
Moving into supported accommodation is the most likely outcome for a young person in need of accommodation. In supported accommodation staff are there to help you with any problems you might have. They will also help you learn any new skills you will need for when you move in to your own property. You will usually be referred for supported accommodation by the Young Person’s Homeless Prevention Project Worker, who will arrange an interview. This is your chance to have a look around and ask questions about the accommodation as well as a chance for the accommodation provider to start to get to know you.
Floating Support
Agencies like the Council’s Tenancy Support Service will support you to prepare, move in and live in your own home. This is called Floating Support. Your floating support worker will work with you to help you make your tenancy a success. This support can last for up to two years or until you and your worker agree you can manage on your own. Things that a floating support worker can help with include applying for grants for furniture when you first move into your property, helping you set up your gas and electric accounts, helping you to manage your money, supporting you with healthy cooking, shopping on a budget, getting access to education or training and much more.
What are the most frequently asked questions?
I want to live on my own, how do I go about this?
Young People under 18 can apply for Council housing through the Home Choice Scheme however your application will usually be deferred (put on hold) until you turn 18. Some Housing Associations (link to Renting a Home/Housing Associations) allow young people to join their waiting list at 17 years old and will offer young people a tenancy as long as they have support in place, for example from a floating support (link to floating support) provider.
If you are not able to stay where you are living until you are 18 then you should come to see the Young Person’s Homeless Prevention Service at Connexions at Gateshead Interchange during drop in hours Monday – Friday 1.00 pm – 4.00 pm.
If I live on my own how will I be able to afford the rent?
In most circumstances young people under 18 are not entitled to benefits however the rules around benefits are complex. If you are not able to continue to live at home then it is best to speak to an advisor from the Job Centre. There is an under 18’s benefits advisor based at Connexions. To make an appointment phone 0191 4336844.
How long does it take to get a house?
The common answer to this question is; how long is a bit of string? The reason for this is that is depends on a lot of different things including the area you want to live in, how quickly you need to move out of the place you are currently living in, how big a property you need, your previous behaviour e.g. if you owe people rent or if you have been involved in anti-social behaviour…the list goes on. It can take anything from a few months to a few years to get your own tenancy depending on your circumstances.
I am over 18 and homeless can the Young People’s homeless prevention service help me?
The Young People’s Homeless Prevention Service is only able to support 16 and 17 years olds. If you are homeless and from the Gateshead area you can call into see the Housing Options Team at the Civic Centre, Monday to Thursday 9.00 – 5.00 or 9.00 – 4.35pm on Fridays or contact them for an appointment on 0191 433 2616 or 433 2448