YMCA Wants Housing Support Back For 18 To 21-Year-Olds

A new government must abolish regulations that remove automatic entitlement to housing support for 18 to 21-year-olds, says the YMCA. It’s ‘Youth First’ manifesto brings together more than 40 recommendations including access to housing. Other priorities include:

·         Invest in early intervention mental health services for young people in schools and communities, including targeted campaigns that addresses the lack of knowledge and stigma surrounding mental health difficulties

·         Ensure all students in school or college have access to careers information, advice and guidance delivered by professional specialists

·         Reclassify youth services as a statutory service, which will require each local authority to have in a place a youth services strategy.

Read more on the YMCA website.

The 26 Sq Metre Cubes Used To House Homeless People

This week the YMCA launches Y:Cube, an accommodation project in Mitcham, south London. The development is made up of 36 self-contained, one-bedroom flats, each with their own bathroom, living room and kitchen, inside a compact 26 sq metre unit. They are factory built off-site and installed for just £55,000 each. The YMCA developed the scheme to provide move-on homes for young people who are ready to leave their accommodation, but cannot move into the private rented sector due to high costs or lack of availability. Meanwhile, nine out of 10 YMCAs have turned a young person away due to capacity issues. Read more on the Guardian website.

Summer Budget: Reactions from the Sector

A wide range of housing organisations have given their reactions to the Budget. They include CIH; NHF; homeless charities Shelter, Crisis and Centrepoint; Generation Rent; YMCA; the London Assembly; Midland Heart; Hometrack; Placeshapers and Metropolitan Housing.  Read more on 24dash.

Welfare Sanctions Make Vulnerable Reliant On Food Banks

The YMCA, the UK’s oldest youth charity, has warned the government that its changes to welfare policy are driving vulnerable young people to become reliant on food bank handouts rather than preparing them for jobs. About 5,000 young people were referred by YMCAs to food banks last year, it said in a report, with benefit sanctions cited as the main reason for what it called a “significant increase” in the number of clients falling into food poverty. Read more on the Guardian website.