Herts Young Homeless Monitoring Form
What is your ethnic group?
Choose ONE section from A to E and then tick the appropriate box to indicate your cultural background.
A / White/ British
/ Irish
/ Any other White background, please write in:
B / Mixed
/ White and Black Carribean
/ White and Black African
/ White and Asian
/ Any other Mixed background, please write in:
C / Asian or Asian British
/ Indian
/ Pakistani
/ Bangladeshi
/ Any other Asian background, please write in:
D / Black or Black British
/ Caribbean
/ African
/ Any other Black background, please write in:
E / Chinese or other ethnic group
/ Chinese
/ Any other, please write in:
Sexuality (optional) / Do you have a disability?
Gay/Lesbian / Male
Heterosexual/Straight / Female
Bi-sexual
Other / Date Completed
The information on this form is only used to ensure hyh is representing all sections of the community.
Equal Opportunities Policy
Herts Young Homeless recognises that discrimination does exist which adversely affects several sections of this community, both in regard to their general wellbeing, i.e. income, housing, health, education, and in their access to public services.
Herts Young Homeless particularly recognises that discrimination affects homeless young people, women, people from ethnic minorities, lesbians and gay men, working class people, people who are HIV positive, ex-offenders and people with disabilities. Further, it is recognised that for some young people in the groups mentioned above, their homelessness may be closely connected with the mental stress and other health issues that occur as a result of discrimination and oppression against them.
Herts Young Homeless intends, through the implementation of this policy, to eliminate discrimination in its policies and practices. The operation of the policy applies to all matters that affect trustees, paid staff and volunteers, in addition to work with young people.
Herts Young Homeless
Herts Young Homeless (hyh) is a charity established in 1998. We aim to enable young people to secure and maintain appropriate accommodation through prevention, crisis intervention and tenancy sustainment. We work throughout Hertfordshire with young people aged 16-25, although some specialised projects work with people younger or older than this. We have a turnover of approximately £1.6 million per year and have recently secured long term funding from Herts County Council for our core services.
We have a dedicated staff team of just under 50 people together with approximately 25 volunteers, who are invaluable in enabling hyh to provide a quality service to young people.
Advice, Information and Mediation
Advice and Information Workers are normally the first point of contact for a young person (aged 16-24) accessing hyh’s services. They will assess the young person’s situation and refer them to the relevant support agencies. Where possible an Advice and Information Worker will use their mediation skills in order to prevent a homeless situation. hyh also has a team of mediators (two working with 16-24 year olds, and two working with 10-15 year olds) who mediate in more complex cases. If homelessness cannot be prevented, then the Advice and Information Workers will support the young person in accessing appropriate accommodation.
Floating Support
hyh works in partnership with Aldwyck Housing Group to provide a Floating Support service across the county. Floating Support will normally begin once a service user is placed into emergency or temporary accommodation but can begin earlier, for example when an individual is still at home or living with friends. A Floating Support Worker will visit young people in their accommodation and offer support in areas such as paying rent, budgeting, managing benefits and accessing healthcare. They can also make referrals through to other agencies as required. Visits to the service user can take place as frequently as the young person needs, whether this is twice a week or once a month.
Crashpad
Crashpad offers safe, emergency accommodation for homeless 16 and 17 year olds and care leavers up to the age of 21. The young person will stay with a volunteer host family for between 3 weeks and 42 nights. The hosts provide a room in their own home, breakfast and an evening meal. Support for the young person is offered throughout their stay, normally by an hyh Floating Support Worker.
Health and Specialist Services
Dual Diagnosis Support – This service works with homeless and potentially homeless people aged 16 and over who have a mental health problem and/or additional needs.
Education and Service User Involvement Project
Education sessions are delivered in local schools in conjunction with services users to educate young people on the realities of leaving home and homelessness.