Young people again
Okay, so a few weeks ago I said to Jamie that I’d be happy to meet up with him if he wanted to raise some of the issues about homelessness with me. Well, that’s not happened, although I see from his blog that he’s been putting candidates on the spot all over the country, so instead I went to visit young people living in the foyer in Abingdon. The Foyer Federation say that foyers help over 10,000 young people every year to escape the “no home, no job, no home” cycle. They provide accommodation with learning and development opportunities for young people. The one in Abingdon is about six months old, and has helped over 20 young people so far, providing accommodation and support plans, and helping them get back into education or employment or training.
Had a long chat with the manager, John, about his worries about Supporting People funding and about links with other local services, then spent an hour or so chatting with young people about their concerns - anti-social behaviour, which they were victims of quite frequently, money and benefits, Connexions and their aspirations for the future. It wouldn’t have been right to be party-political, but was quite happy to sit and discuss the issues and listen to the residents, no matter whether there are votes in it or not. Probably the best-spent two hours of the campaign, and I hope that I can live up to the expectations of the young people I met to be an advocate for disavantaged and disenfranchised young people in the future. Is there a more important issue in this campaign than making sure people have somewhere to live, especially in an area as expensive as Oxfordshire?
Hi, I’m sorry that i have not got in touch with you but as you know i have been putting other candidates around the country on the spot. Young people have the same fears and worries that i do but it seems the older more mature person who has spent most of his life on the streets.Change for this type of person is remarkably hard and although there are certain things in place to help with that change. It’s only the tip of the ice berg.
I am speaking from exprience.I had so many difficulties getting in to education that i almost gave up. Getting accomodation was even harder as my previous record showed that i was a former drug addict and paying rent might be a problem but i was lucky, someone took a chance i got in to a hostel. and the rest is history. so what i would say to you is older more mature homeless people find it harder than younger people to get the help that is needed and i strongly believe they have the right to be allowed to integrate themselves back into society
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for posting. You’re completely right about the different attitudes towards older homeless people, and if I am elected tomorrow (is it really that close?!) I will be a strong supporter of the right to decent housing and a second chance to education for everyone.
Congratulations on your work for the election - you’ve raised the profile of so many issues and have made me, if no-one else, determined to do something about it.
I work for the Foyer Federation, and am running a new website for Foyer residents’ views: http://www.giveusavoice.net - including some blogs by young people. Get in touch with me for any more info about us and what we do, and what issues we are campaigning on!