New research by charity Depaul UK has found that young people in housing crisis often avoid admitting they are ‘homeless’ because of the negative connotations it has. This can lead to them moving into potentially harmful living arrangements – such as friend’s sofas and in multi-occupancy housing – that can out their safety at risk.
The charities ‘Danger Zones and Stepping Stones’ report calls for better education for young people about what constitutes homelessness, the risks it poses and the support that is available to them. It argues that more must be done to ensure that young people feel comfortable asking for help when they find themselves without safe and stable accommodation.
The charity also calls upon policy makers and commissioners to increase the number of preventative services and emergency accommodations to support young people.
The report’s recommendations are drawn from an in-depth study of 18 young people, between the age of 16 and 23 who have experienced temporary living and ‘sofa surfing.’
Depaul UK Chief Executive, Martin Houghton-Brown said,
“No young person should have to stay in an unsafe place. We have developed the Danger Zones and Stepping Stones model to help identify where the dangers lie, and the stepping stones to getting young people out of homelessness.”
Read the Depaul UK report in full by visiting https://uk.depaulcharity.org/danger-zones-and-stepping-stones