Homeless plan follows YMCA Norfolk lead

The Government has announced a £164m package for young homeless people in England, including plans to establish a national network of supported lodging schemes, a move which YMCA Norfolk has already pioneered.

And the Norwich-based Christian organisation is appealing for more potential lodgings providers to come forward to boost its existing scheme.

Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly announced the scheme, in December 2006, in which community volunteers would be given training so they could offer temporary homes to young people who would otherwise be sleeping rough. And, after the temporary accommodation, they could be housed permanently, or choose to return to their family home.

Ms Kelly said: "There is much more to do. We cannot slow down, and we are not going to. With nearly 94,000 households still living in temporary accommodation, there is no room for complacency.  With vulnerable young people being placed in bed and breakfast hotels, we must do better still."

The government move was welcomed by John Drake, CEO at YMCA Norfolk, which has been running a supported lodgings scheme for several years: “We are very happy that the Government has taken on board the kind of pioneering work that we do here at the YMCA in Norfolk and is looking to extend it.

“We are not a human warehouse, we try to provide holistic support including care, compassion and befriending, mediation and reconciliation. We need to wait and see what will be made available on a local level but at least there is a willingness to tackle this issue.”

The YMCA is currently looking for potential lodgings providers who have a spare room in their house and who would like to help a young person to grow in confidence and gain the skill to take on their own tenancy.

Regular support from YMCA staff and a weekly payment is offered to providers who live in the Norwich City Council or Gt Yarmouth Borough Council areas.

If you are interested you should contact Eddie Pleban on 01603 620269 x 41 e-mail eddiepleban@ymca-norfolk.org.uk or Mary Ives on 01493 335790

e-mail maryives@ymca-norfolk.org.uk