Supporting children and young people to shine - Your Homes ...

Supporting children and young people to shine
Young People’s Strategy 2009 - 2012
Contents
Foreword by John Lee
Page
1

1.0 Introduction
1.1 Vision of Your Homes Newcastle 6
1.2 Purpose of the strategy 6
1.3 Vision and mission of the Young Peoples Service 6
1.4 Key work areas for Young Peoples Service 7
2.0 Strategic Context
2.1 National Strategic Objectives 9
2.2 Local and regional context 10
3.0 Our role
3.1 Key approaches 13
3.2 Homeless prevention 13
3.3 Floating support 14
3.4 Emergency hostel 15
3.5 North Kenton supported accommodation 15
3.6 Family Intervention Project 15
3.7 Positive activities and participation 16
3.8 Volunteering 17
3.9 Therapeutic support and counselling 17
4.0 Supporting activities
4.1 Newcastle Furniture Service 20
4.2 YHN training & employment opportunities 20
4.3 YHN Skills to work strategy 21
4.4 Partnership working 21
4.5 Equality and diversity activities 21
5.0 Priorities
5.1 Priority one - Building safe communities 24
5.2 Priority two - Support and care for vulnerable young people 29
5.3 Priority three - Providing opportunities to achieve 33
5.4 Priority four - Listening and involving young people 38
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Foreword
Welcome to Your Homes Newcastle’s Young People’s Strategy. This shows what we
will do and how we will do it over the next three years.
Much has been achieved by YHN since it became an ALMO in 2004. One of our major
achievements has been the creation and development of our Young Peoples Service in
2006 following the acquisition of the Inline Service (from The Childrens Society), and
Stepping Stones (a Newcastle based voluntary organisation).
John Lee, Chief Executive
Together we have won the Supporting People contract to deliver support to all 16 to 25
year olds threatened with homelessness in Newcastle, supporting them into independent
living as well as providing emergency access accommodation and semi independent
living accommodation for young people through our 10 bed space hostel and 16 bed
space flat block respectively. Supporting People fund just over 50% of the Young
Peoples Service and we work together with Adult and Culture services in Newcastle to
provide services and contribute to various strategies in the city. In addition we provide a
Family Intervention Project for Safe Newcastle following successfully tendering for the
contract which has culminated in a further 3 year Service Level Agreement through to
2011.
There remains a great deal of opportunities to develop and improve the services we offer and this document shows how
we, along with our many valuable partners, plan to do this over the coming years.
Most, but not all, of our services to young people are delivered through our Young Peoples Service from supporting
children in families with parenting and life skills through to Independence. Our work with young people ensures they are
supported from the time they present in need of accommodation through finding emergency accommodation suitable for
their needs, to helping them move to supported accommodation and helping them develop the skills they need to live
successfully in their own tenancies. We give them quality support to ensure they succeed, supporting them on each step
of their journey.
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YHN is committed to changing the culture of the city towards young people. Through Youth Voice (a service funded but
not owned by YHN), young people can really have a say in matters that affect them. Children, families and young people
are encouraged to give their opinions through our tenant participation team’s work on estates.
The Family Intervention Project is leading the way in working with families to address anti social behaviour and effects of
poverty. The effects of our work in this area have been to reduce homelessness, reduce anti social behaviour, reduce
nuisance on housing estates and to create circumstances so families can sustain their tenancies and contribute to the
community wellbeing. The independent evaluation that we undertook at the end of 2008 demonstrated the financial
benefits to the City Council, Health and central government of the Family Intervention work we do.
YHN contribute to reducing worklessness through providing volunteering opportunities, work placements and tasters and
training schemes for the people of Newcastle not only through our young people’s service but throughout the whole
organisation.
We are also providing quality homes and communities for young people to live to through the work of housing offices, etc.
An exciting development for YHN has been the recent approval for the building of accommodation aimed specifically at
young families. The development in Coxlodge, Gosforth should be complete by December 2010 and will house young
families in a small estate comprising 4 two bedroomed houses and 13 two bedroomed flats. This will be the first rented
accommodation in Newcastle aimed exclusively at young families.
Our Young Peoples Service is part of YHN’s Support and Care portfolio, which includes an Advice and Support Team,
Community Care Alarm/Sheltered Housing services, Concierge and Asylum Services, and has become a core part of
YHN’s business. I look forward to the challenges ahead and the continued success and development of our Young
Peoples Service and the contribution we can make to the community of Newcastle.
John Lee, Chief Executive, Your Homes Newcastle
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1. Introduction
5

1.0 Introduction
1.1 Vision of Your Homes Newcastle
Your Homes Newcastle intends to be the best housing provider in the North East.
We will achieve this by investing in our strategic objectives:
• Support and Care to communities
• Three star excellent services
• A quality workforce
• Refurbishing and building homes
1.2 Purpose of this strategy
This strategy is primarily aimed at helping young people aged between sixteen and twenty five who are, or are planning to
be, tenants of Your Homes Newcastle (YHN). This includes young people who live in their own tenancies and also young
people who live in a property managed by YHN with their parents/carers or are receiving support from our Family
Intervention Project.
YHN acquired the Young Peoples Service in 2006. Since then it has developed to offer a broad range of services to
young tenants in addition to the services which were already being provided by other teams within the organisation.
The purpose of this strategy is to set out how they will respond to the needs of young people over the next three years. It
sets out our aims for the service and the priorities which will govern and direct our work. It includes an action plan which
will give details of how we will work towards those priorities.
1.3 Vision and mission of YHN’s Young People’s Service
Vision: to offer the most comprehensive and highest quality service to the young people and their families in the North
East that are in need of accommodation and support so they can manage independence successfully.
Mission: to provide a complete service for all young people aged 16 - 25 years old in need of accommodation and
support until they are able to live independently in their communities and to provide a service for families whose tenancies
are at risk.
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1.4 Key work areas for Young Peoples Service
• Aim to prevent homelessness for 16 and 17 year olds in Newcastle by carrying out assessment of needs and bringing
families back together mainly through using the Common Assessment Framework (CAF).
• Provide supported accommodation for homeless young people aged 16 – 25 through direct access into a 24 hour
staffed hostel.
• Provide support in our block of 16 semi-independent tenancies with on site support during office hours.
• Provide intensive floating support for up to two years for young people aged 16 – 25.
• Provide support to families who are at risk of eviction so they change behaviour and stay in their home.
• Provide opportunities for young people and families to be involved in a range of positive activities and decision making
on an individual basis and through Youth Voice and contribute to strategic plans within Newcastle.
• Provide individual or couples counselling to young people aged 16 – 25 who are accessing Young People’s Services.
• Provide consultation and training support to staff to improve the quality of support offered to young people.
• Provide opportunities for young people to volunteer or get involved in social enterprise to improve access to
employment.
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2. Strategic
context
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2.0 Strategic context
2.1 National Strategic Objectives
The Children’s Plan was launched by Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in 2007. The
Plan sets out the Government’s aim
• of making England the best place in the world for children and young people to grow up. Schools, children’s services,
the voluntary sector and government all need to play their part to achieve this aim, working to support children, young
people and their families.
• for all young people to enjoy happy, healthy and safe teenage years that prepare them well for adult life and enable
them to reach their full potential. Young people should be valued members of society, whose achievements and
contributions are welcomed and celebrated. This means society viewing young people positively, not seeing them as
problems to be solved.
It works through how we will meet emerging challenges and share our vision to build brighter futures.
Whilst this vision applies to all young people, action to deliver it should be focused on providing support and opportunities
to those for whom the vision will be hardest to achieve.
All young people should have access to the support and opportunities they want and need to:
• succeed in education and continue participating in learning until the age of 18;
• take part in activities that develop their resilience and the social and emotional skills they need for life, and enjoy their
leisure time;
• make a real contribution to society using their energy and enthusiasm to bring about change;
• be emotionally and physically healthy and able to cope with the demands of adolescence and becoming an adult; and
• grow up in a safe and supportive environment.
The Every Child Matters Outcomes Framework
This document demonstrates how the Children’s Plan fits with Every Child Matters, the Public Service Agreements and
the National Indicator Set of measures against which local area performance will be assessed.
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The Government’s aim is for every child, whatever their background or their circumstances, is to have the support they
need to:
• be healthy;
• stay safe;
• enjoy and achieve;
• make a positive contribution and
• achieve economic well being.
(www.everychildmatters.gov.uk)
2.2 Local and regional context
Your Homes Newcastle is a member of the Integrated Youth Service Board, Teenage Pregnancy Board and Targeted
Youth Support Steering Group, Missing, Sexually Exploited and Trafficked (MSET) steering group, working to ensure our
services compliment those offered by our partners in Newcastle. We are working to make sure vulnerable young people
are identified early and their needs are met by agencies working together effectively, in ways that are shaped by the views
and experiences of young people themselves.
Work we do is wider than just housing; it is about creating safe and successful communities for people to live in. The
Young Peoples Service has been a partner in the citywide ‘What Matters to You’ consultation, to find out what needs to
happen in Newcastle to improve young people’s lives. Children and young people identified the following 12 priorities:
• Respect for children and young people from adults and organisations and other children and young people
• Space and opportunities to spend time with friends
• Outdoor play spaces
• Accessible sports and leisure provision - cheap, or free
• Road safety
• Discrimination including bullying, racism and homophobia
• Policing, crime and anti-social behaviour
• Decent neighbourhoods to grow up and live in
• Public transport
• Healthy lifestyle issues (around food, exercise, drugs and alcohol)
• Involvement in decision making
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• More interesting lessons and fairer treatment in schools
We continue to be a partner in working towards improving outcomes for young people across these 12 priorities.
(www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/tenyearyouthstrategy)
We contribute to Newcastle’s local strategic objectives (see action plan for details).
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3. Our role
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3.0 Our role
3.1 Key approaches
We support families through our Family Intervention Project. The families referred to our FIP service have been identified
as being Families at Risk and in need of intensive support.
We offer support to young people aged 16-25; most of the young people who access our service are between 16-21
years old and around a third of these are parents. These are young people who have been identified as being in priority
need due to being vulnerable as defined by The Housing Act 1996 and the Homelessness Act 2002. Young people aged
16 and 17 years old are assessed by the team using the CAF using criteria taken from The Children Act 89 & Children
Act 2004, which states “A young person whose development is likely to be seriously prejudiced if they were not given a
service”. The service also encompasses the Leaving Care Act 2000.
The service is young person centred and considers all aspects of young peoples needs including providing for cultural,
spiritual and religious needs.
We provide young people who live in our accommodation with good quality accommodation, highly qualified staff to
provide support, who are guided by standards of behaviour. Likewise we outline expectations of our tenants through our
welcome pack and explain consequences of poor behaviour through our warnings and evictions booklet. These can be
found on our website.
3.2 Homeless prevention
Pathway to Independence
• Ideally teenagers should seek independence as they move into adulthood once they are emotionally and financially
secure. It is not the duty of YHN Young Peoples Service to propel young people into the responsibility of adulthood
before they are competent when this is not necessary. Your choice homes (YCH) is now accessible for young people
aged 16 and above, however we feel strongly that 16 and 17 year olds should still be assessed for welfare needs and
support offered to help them make their tenancies a success, so all 16 and 17 year olds requiring access to a tenancy
are seen by Young People’s Services.
• We prevent homelessness; by assessing young people at the first point of contact. We use the CAF, when they
present at the Housing Advice Centre or when they apply through YCH. The assessment includes gaining the young
persons trust, gathering their views and opinions about their situation, speaking to family members and offering
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mediation to return home if possible, gathering information from other professionals before making recommendations
about the most appropriate service to meet their needs. Young people also come into the service through the
Pathway to Independence for 16 and17 year olds.
• In 2007-08 248 children ran away from home in Newcastle and become vulnerable to exploitation. To respond to the
needs of runaway children in Newcastle a new team was developed by The Children’s Society in partnership with
Barnardos to establish a ‘missing persons scheme’ in partnership with the Police and Children’s Social Care. The
Young People’s Services Manager represents Newcastle City Council’s strategic housing service and YHN on the
steering group.
• We work with Youth Offending Team YOT on the Youth Offenders Housing of Returning Prisoners (YOHARP)
protocol so young offenders are prevented from becoming homeless when they are released from custody.
• www.yhn.org.uk was re-launched in February 2009, and has proved to be more attractive to children and young
people. We have provided an e-mail advice line which comes directly to the Service, so children of tenants can ask
for advice on issues they feel are important. All of this contributes to the prevention agenda and hopefully, the
prevention of homelessness.
3.3 Floating support
For those young people in Newcastle who are unable to live with their families we make sure they are given the support
they need to live independently. Support delivered by this Young People’s Service team provides complete, intensive
support for up to 2 years and covers all aspects of coping with the journey to independence. Needs are identified with the
young person and an action plan is written with them to address their needs.
We work with the young person to identify issues leading to independence which have often been traumatic and abusive
and assist them to access appropriate support.
Careleavers
Our floating support service have a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Newcastle Leaving Care team to provide
support to young people leaving the care of Newcastle Social Services. The SLA has been renewed for a further 12
months.
The work of the team over the past 10 years has helped almost 100% of our customers to maintain their homes.
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The team has also supported young people over 18 years old if they have been assessed as needing our support.
These would include young people who have a range of issues to address such as mental health, drug and alcohol
dependence, leaving care or have previously struggled living independently. The team also accepts referrals from
Housing Officers and/or the Advice and Support Service, of young people who are failing in their tenancies or are
referred due to needing a more in depth or structured support service. More details about the work of the service can be
found in their Business Plan or on the YPS pages of www.yhn.org.uk
3.4 Emergency hostel
Our 10 bed hostel is a place for change for young people that come to stay for a period of up to six months. It is the only
dedicated young person’s emergency accommodation in the region.
Initially, young people are referred to this accommodation from the Housing Advice Centre and are assessed before their
arrival through the CAF process. When they arrive, the young person is offered support to prepare them for managing a
home of their own or to move on to longer term supported accommodation.
A comprehensive training and education programme has been devised by staff with the help and input of young people.
The programme includes and meets the Government guidelines of the five outcomes for young people outlined in Every
Child Matters. It consists of ASDAN accreditation and outdoor educational qualifications that will be gathered into a
portfolio for residents. The aim is to give the young people the necessary skills to support them through their journey to
independence. A multi agency approach has been adopted to maximise the schedule and assist the young people to
achieve their potential by putting some stability and routine into their lives.
We deliver a service which creates a pathway to independence and a brighter future for young people and their families
who find themselves homeless in Newcastle.
We provide young people who live in our accommodation with good quality accommodation, highly qualified staff to
provide support, we are guided by standards of behaviour.
3.5 North Kenton supported accommodation
There are 3 floors that contain 16 individual flats. The ground floor contains the offices and communal area for young
people to meet.
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The communal area has access to the Internet, kitchen to try out cooking skills with others and a place to meet other
tenants. The flats have a kitchen, living room, bedroom, toilet and shower. They come fully furnished.. The block is
monitored 24 hours by CCTV and access is gained via a concierge system. The concierge can be contacted from each
flat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so this provides a safe environment for young people to live.
3.6 Family Intervention Project
The Family Intervention Project (FIP) works with families who have been homeless or threatened with homelessness. The
FIP worker offers support to the family to address anti-social behaviour, crime or poverty so they can stay in their home.
The FIP team provides support in practical ways such as helping to set up routines for children and supporting parents to
improve parenting skills.
The FIP team works in partnership with other agencies including; Children’s Social Care, Housing, Education and Health
Services.
In order to achieve this we require agreement from the families to work with us in an open and honest way. This will
involve working with them to produce a support plan and agreement so that we are able to work together in a structured
way. This may present challenges for the family at times.
3.7 Positive activities and participation
Aims to encourage young people to use their experience to improve and develop new services by talking to policy
makers and by encouraging user participation and consultation. Although all young people involved in the services are
able to give their views through reviews and through 1-2-1 meetings with their project workers, Youth Voice is the vehicle
by which young people are formally engaged. We acknowledge that all young people will not want to get involved with
group activities so we will also provide other avenues for young people to express their opinions.
The thoughts and opinions of all of our tenants are valued. To us, participation means much more than simply taking part
in an activity. We encourage our tenants to be actively involved in the process of identifying needs, exploring solutions,
making decisions and planning action with regard to all areas of supported accommodation. We have been awarded
‘Investing in Children’ status for 4 years which is recognition for involving young people at all level of our service design
and delivery.
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Youth Independence Forum
• We started the Youth Independence Forum in September 2005.
• It was established to provide opportunities for homeless young people to be consulted and participate in the
development of strategies across the city.
• The forum has a strong focus on participation as well as homelessness; we hope to support other agencies in the city
to involve their young people in all aspects of its work.
Peer education
• We have successfully developed and will continue to deliver peer education on homelessness in schools and to youth
groups in Newcastle to inform young people about the help and choices available to them, in order to prevent them
from becoming homeless.
• Worked with teenage parents to develop and delivered a Teenage Parent Peer Education Programme. The
programme has been identified as a valuable resource in Newcastle’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.
Code of Conduct
Young people using the service have been involved in mystery shopping to make sure quality of advice and information is
maintained. They also carry out Code of Conduct visits to our own services. Youth Voice leads on bringing all agencies
in Newcastle in line with the Code of Conduct standard developed by young people to make sure services are delivering
quality services throughout Newcastle. This standard has been endorsed by Newcastle Supporting People team to
measure service user involvement when assessing agencies against the Service Quality Framework (SQF).
3.8 Volunteering
The Volunteer Coordinator will take a lead role in organising the recruitment and selection of all volunteers to the scheme
as well as training and support of volunteers and staff. This will be done in conjunction with the Youth Voice
Coordinator/Young People’s Service Manager.
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3.9 Therapeutic support and counselling
Counselling is available to young people who already receive a service from Young Peoples Service. The counselling
service can be one to one, couples or groups. Young people choose the issues that they want to address in the
counselling and are offered support to attend if needed. The counselling is delivered by qualified counsellors and
managed by a clinical supervisor. The supervisor also supervises the volunteer counsellors who are qualified or training
at Diploma level to be counsellors. Counselling is available at the three venues from which we operate our services
(North Kenton, Lansdowne Crescent and Gosforth CHO) to make it more accessible and there is a drop in for crisis work
and for the young people to check the service out.
Therapeutic support is available to all the Young People’s Service staff. This can be in the form of clinical supervision
either individually or in groups, consultation about a situation or individual and training to broaden understanding of the
young people and develop interpersonal skills.
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4. Supporting activities
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4.0 Supporting activities
4.1 Young people who come in contact with YHN are likely to have first contact with our Housing Management staff
through our Customer Service Centre’s, Housing Offices, Concierge Service, YPS are well integrated into tenancy
services so young people are given an empathetic and accessible service which treats them with respect and
dignity. During 2010/11 we will develop on awareness of young people’s issues briefing for staff.
4.2 Newcastle Furniture Service and YHN Garden Care
We provide a furniture service to the city council, other housing providers and charities in the region. Together with the
primary care trust, we run a child safety equipment scheme for people who live in Newcastle. We also provide a garden
care maintenance service, which is available to all tenants.
NFS provides furniture packages to new tenants who need them and who otherwise would be unable to take up a tenancy
or would be unable to comfortably furnish that home.
We currently employ approximately 15 trainees on a 12 month contract to work on our garden care scheme which
provides an all round gardening service to our tenants. Trainees receive training to NVQ level 2. Employment
opportunities are available for successful trainees.
Our furniture service also accommodates several work placements each year for the following organisations:
• Connexions
• Shaw Trust
• Tyneside Cyrenians
• Oakfield College
• Young People’s Service
• Key Enterprise
Individuals on work placements are given training in completing job applications and interview techniques and are offered
employment opportunities within the service.
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4.3 YHN Training and employment opportunities (Improving employability)
This is a ten day programme providing a work placement in an area of interest e.g. administration, gardening, work
shadowing. Training and teambuilding skills are offered together with taster days at Newcastle College. Completion of
course certificates are given to all participants.
Mentor scheme
Project 608 is a scheme managed by Newcastle Business Education Partnership. It looks to increase educational
performance at GCSE level and is aimed at those young people who are in the middle grades.
The young person picks 5 topics they are taking and each month their teachers score them on
homework/behaviour/attendance etc. giving a score between minus and plus 2 per topic. The young people are in teams;
we count up all the scores once a month and the winning team gets a £5 Eldon Square voucher (the winning team at the
end of the year gets a bigger prize).
You mentor one team of approximately 5, 16 year olds, helping them with any problems and motivating them to do well to
maximise their scores.
4.4 YHN Skills to Work Strategy
As an organisation committed to providing excellent levels of service and support and care to our customers we consider
that we can do more than simply provide decent homes to live in – indeed, we are committed to improving the quality of
life and the future prospects of those who live in the homes which we manage.
We believe that as part of this commitment we have an important role to play in supporting those residents hoping to
return to or enter work for the first time. We are in an excellent position to provide this support as we often have direct
access to our customer base something other organisations can find difficult.
So to drive our work forward in this area we published our first 'Skills to work' strategy in summer 2009. The strategy sets
out our vision and strategic priorities which will direct and govern the future direction of our employability activities in the
near future.
You can download the strategy from the 'Strategies, plans and reports' page of our website at
http://www.yhn.org.uk/about_us/strategies,_plans_and_reports.aspx.
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4.5 Partnership working
We recognise the added value that can arise from working in partnership with statutory organisations and the private and
voluntary sectors. We work with a number of partners to maximise funding, co-ordinate services and enable knowledge
transfer.
Within Newcastle upon Tyne, we work with a range of partners to deliver services, incorporating Every Child Matters
including Connexions, Youth Offending Team, Sure Start, Connexions Youth Service, Health, Drug & Alcohol services,
Safe Newcastle Partnership, strategic housing, education welfare, Children’s Social Care.
4.6 Equality and diversity
YHN's supported housing services meet a diverse range of needs, including accommodation-based and floating support
services for young people, older people, asylum seekers and families whose behaviour and needs require intensive
support. These services are promoting independent living and sustainable tenancies for some of the most vulnerable
people in Newcastle.
We monitor the referrals to our services so we are aware that we are supporting young people and families from
disadvantaged groups.
We are aware that the biggest disadvantage facing the young people and families we support is poverty & we actively
support young people to redevelop and gain education and skills which would assist them in the living in the community
and in the workplace.
The Asylum Seekers Unit has built up longstanding relationships with the network of voluntary sector organisations
working with asylum seekers and refugees in the city and with groups representing new communities in Newcastle. YHN
is making a tangible and positive contribution to community cohesion.
We will assist in making sure that our commitment to equality and diversity goes far wider than our legislative obligations.
The ultimate aim is to make sure that our commitment to equality and diversity is rooted in the core values of everything
we do.
We offer same sex interviews and key worker if required. We run groups which address gender issues such as teenage
pregnancy, work with young males and fathers.
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We will also help to implement policies, practices and procedures that actively promote equality, diversity and human
rights. YHN are working hard to support the removal of barriers that prevent equality for all of our employees and
customers including young people.
YHN Young People’s Strategy can be translated into other languages on request. We also provide the strategy on audio
on request.
Our hostel accomodation and supported housing block are DDA compliant. Although we would be unable to
accommodate young people needing wheelchair access as the bedrooms and flats are on first floor. However we work
closely with the learning disability team and disabled children s teams so these grouops get support to live independently
if necessary. The Young Peoples Service teams and aim to provide a bespoke service for any young person who was
able to live independently. We have strong links with the unaccompanied minors team to provide accomodation for young
refugees. We also promote our services through the Multi Cultural Housing Advice Centre, Panah & other organisations
which support young people from BME groups.
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5. Strategic priorities
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5.0 Strategic priorities
We recognise that there is a lot of positive work already going on within Newcastle, but feel that there is more that could
be done to improve outcomes for young people within Newcastle. Children and young people of Newcastle have
identified four key priorities which we feel we can contribute to which will improve services and outcomes for young
people.
Priority one - Building safe communities
Priority two - Support and care for vulnerable young people
Priority three - Providing opportunities to achieve
Priority four - Listening and involving young people
5.1 Priority one - Building safe communities
The key to making this strategy work is ensuring that young people feel safe in their home and their neighbourhood.
Children and young people identified several points for improvement through the ‘What matters to us?’ research including:
• Space and opportunities to spend time with friends
• Road safety
• Policing, crime and anti-social behaviour
• Decent neighbourhoods to grow up and live in
Newcastle’s biggest ever housing improvement programme is well under way since we secured a 2 star rating from
government inspectors in 2005. The achievement unlocked £348m of extra government funding that we are using to
make sure that all Council homes meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2010. It is also worth noting that we were
inspected again in April 2008 and became the first housing company in the North East to achieve a 3 star rating.
We worked with tenants to decide how best to organise the improvement work. We decided to split the works into two
separate packages - internal and external. These are being carried out separately in order to reduce the amount of
disruption to tenant’s homes.
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In 2008 we published a 'Decent Homes' report which gives a brief update of how our Modern Homes programme is
progressing, and what is likely to be achieved next. The report also includes snapshots of other improvement work we've
supported across Newcastle in other ways; this can be downloaded from our website at www.yhn.org.uk.
An example of how YHN contributes to building safe communities is from our Walker Community Housing Office, who are
regularly involved in and organise numerous community events including the annual Walker fireworks display and litter
picking drives which take up much of the staff’s own time. In addition they have successfully reduced void and rent
arrears figures and have given enormous support to asylum seekers in the area to help them settle and access
appropriate services. We will continue to work strategically with Safer Newcastle’s Partnership to provide safe
communities.
Respect agenda
YHN has secured their commitment to working to the respect agenda by appointing a Diversionary Activities
Officer …
YHN recently carried out a pilot project in Throckley, Benwell and Walker called A2B “Access to Basketball”. YHN worked
together with Newcastle Eagles to help young people and families learn about good behaviour and RESPECT.
To help learn about RESPECT young people completed competitions on what respect meant to them. Here is what they
thought.
“Being fair, kind, honest and well mannered and polite to others and hopefully they will be the same towards me
and respect each other” - James aged 11
“Respect means being valued as an individual and treat in a dignified way and most importantly it is a two way
thing” - Alex aged 23
Young people also signed up to a ‘respect promise’ saying what they can do to make where they live better. This involves
not dropping litter or doing graffiti and being nice to people.
We acknowledge that as a housing provider some of these targets will only be able to be achieved through joint working
e.g. road safety etc.
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Priority one: Building safe communities
Ref Action to be delivered How we will do this: Responsibility Target for
completion
1.1 Reduce, year on year, the
number of first time entrants
into the youth justice
system.
By providing a service through our
Family Intervention Project that diverts
young people away from criminal
activity and anti social behaviour, and
By coordinating referrals from our
Housing and Anti Social Behaviour
Team
( HASBET) into positive activities
FIP Manager
& HASBET
manager
31/03/2011
1.2 Develop a core unit which
will accommodate and work
intensely with families to
address needs of family
which are usually complex
and have several agencies
involved.
1.3 Increase awareness of the
services offered by YHN’s
Diversionary Officer .
1.4 Housing and Anti Social
Behaviour Team ( HASBET)
will work in partnership with
other agencies and support
multi-agency working
HASBET will work with local
teams to tackle anti-social
behaviour & address
breaches of tenancy
through YISP.
Through discussion with Newcastle City
Council adult services and Supporting
People Team.
By working with the Tenant Involvement
Team to identify joint areas of work.
By contacting the person who has
reportedly carried out the antisocial
behaviour within five working days of
the timescales above. This will help us
investigate the complaint. We will only
do this with the permission of the
person who reported the behaviour. In
certain circumstances it may not be
appropriate to contact them and we will
explain the reasons for this to the
Head of Support 31/03/2012
and Care and
Young peoples
service Manager
with Newcastle
City Council
Strategic Housing
Services
Youth Voice 31/03/2010
Coordinator and
Diversionary
Activities Officer
HASBET 31/03/2010
27

1.5 HASBET will explore more
ways to work in partnership
with support agencies.
Explore more ways to work
in partnership with young
people to address antisocial
behaviour.
person who reported the behaviour.
By working in partnership with Youth
Offending Team, play and youth, and
alcohol and drug workers
Manager of
HASBET and
Managers within
Newcastle YOT,
Play and Youth,
DnA and Youth
Voice coordinator
within YPS
31/03/2010
1.6 Delivery of bike
maintenance courses to
young people involved with
Young Peoples Service
1.7 Work with Newcastle
Council on Community
Cohesion Strategy
By offering bike maintenance courses
through our positive activities
programme so young people are trained
to maintain donated cycles.
Discuss areas we can support the
strategy with the leads within NCC
YPS
Accommodation
Manager and staff
Young People’s
Service Manager
31/03/2010
31/03/2011
28

5.2 Priority two - Support and care for vulnerable young people and families
This is our core business so it is important that we continue to develop services for children, young people and families
that are of the highest quality. We will deliver quality services to ensure we deliver a consistent service to young people
and families.
We will ensure services provided through our service level agreements for our Family Intervention Project and Care
leavers and through our Call Off agreements with Supporting People are of high quality and meet the needs of these
customers.
We will offer more choice to customers about how they access services and ensure there is a range of services and
accommodation to meet their needs.
We have achieved Customer Service Excellence Award in May 2009 which will be subject to an annual review which
confirms that YHN Young people’s service delivers excellent services to young people and their families.
We also achieved 17 out of a possible 18 ‘A’s in our QAF annual assessment in March 2009.
We will continue to deliver excellent services as confirmed by the Audit Commission in 2008.
• Development of New Services; It has been recognised there are up to 20 young people who are hard to place
in existing accommodation which need bespoke services to meet their needs. These are young people who are
particularly chaotic and are at risk who have typically struggled to live within shared accommodation.
• We deliver these intensive services to those young people by accessing a range of options from direct access at
YPS Supported Accommodation Services Hostel or through other supported accommodation provided within the
city, to supported tenancies from YPS floating support team. YHN has the advantage of access to furnished
tenancies throughout the city which could be used as necessary on a short, medium or long term basis to
compliment existing accommodation. We are also exploring the need for a new type of smaller accommodation
with support for those young people who need longer term support.
29

Priority two: Support and care for vulnerable young people and families
Ref Action to be delivered How we will do this: Responsibility Target for
completion
2.1 Reduction in the under 18
conception rate.
(conceptions per 1,000
females aged 15 – 17)
(LPSA2 target)
By continuing to fund the Teenage
Pregnancy Peer Education Programme
which runs in schools in the city.
Positive activities
Co-ordinator
By extending the Peer Education
Programme to schools in the West End
of the city.
March 2010, 2011
&
March 2012
2.2 Reduction in youth
homelessness
2.3 Monitor the effectiveness of
Pathways to Independence
for under 18’s to ensure
numbers of young people
accepted as homeless
continue to reduce
2.4 Develop a system for
ensuring all under 25’s who
have not engaged with
advice and support services
and whose tenancies are
failing are referred to YPS
By providing information and advice
through the support planning process
and C-Card scheme about sexual
health and contraception to all young
people supported by YPS.
The Homeless Prevention Peer
Education Programme is planned to be
delivered to all pupils in partnership
with Education Welfare Service in 12
high schools within the city in every
academic year.
By providing statistics to Newcastle City
Council and attend pathways
monitoring meetings where statistics
are analysed and plans are made for
improved outcomes for young people
By improving links with housing service
managers so referrals are made when
under 25’s are not engaging with the
Advice and Support team.
All members of staff
of YPS
Positive activities
coordinator
Young peoples
service Manager
Homeless prevention
senior practitioner
March 2010,
March 2011 &
March 2012
March 2010,
March 2011 &
March 2012
by 31/03/2010
30

2.5 Ensure a clear referral
process exists between
advice and support team,
housing services and young
peoples service so young
people receive the
appropriate level of support
to maintain a tenancy
2.6 Improve recording system
for monitoring outcomes for
young people and families
2.7 Increase the range of
therapeutic/counselling
services available
Deliver staff training in use
of therapeutic ways of
working with young people
2.8 Develop further
preventative services
where young people are
at risk of leaving home in,
a crisis, getting involved in
youth crime, having
unplanned pregnancies or
becoming involved with
drugs and/or alcohol
2.9 Develop a supported
housing scheme for young
families
As above 31/03/2010
By implementing a support and care
database
Art therapy day to be arranged
Development of volunteer counselling
service
All staff have been trained in the use of
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Solution Focused Therapy &
Motivational Interviewing
Ongoing programme of induction for
new staff
By working in partnership with the
‘Families at Risk’ group to deliver
services through our ASB Family
Intervention Project, Child poverty FIP
and Youth Crime FIP.
We will build a housing development
which will be used to house young
families who need support.
Business Support
Manager / Young
peoples service
Manager
Counselling Services
Manager
/ Young peoples
service Manager
FIP Manager /
Young peoples
service Manager
Head of Support and
Care / Young
Peoples service
Manager
31/03/2009
30/09/2009
31/03/2011
31/03/2010
31

2.10 Develop a service for
couples who need support
2.11 Develop a core unit which
will accommodate and work
intensely with families to
address needs of family
which are usually complex
and have several agencies
involved.
2.12 All young people involved
with our service will be
assessed through CAF and
we will use the Team
Around the Child Process
2.13 Develop further housing
option for young people
who are unable to live
independently or in groups
2.14 Continue to promote our
services to disadvantaged
groups. from BME
communities or whose
sexuality has led to
homelessness.
2.15 Continue to promote our
services to disadvantaged
groups including young
people who have a physical
We will review our existing provision to
include couples in need of supported
accommodation with staff on site
Through discussion with Newcastle City
Council adult services and Supporting
People Team
We have strengthened our links with
other agencies using the principles of
‘team around the child’ to ensure
agencies with statutory responsibility
are contributing to the young persons
welfare. We coordinate this activity.
We are aware that often the most
chaotic young people are placed in
group living situations with others and
this is not always a good option. We
will work with young people to develop
accommodation services which will
meet their needs.
Ensure we routinely contact and
promote our services to support
services
by having a link person within the YPS
to learning disability team the children
and young peoples disability team. We
also have close links with the young
Young peoples
service / Manager of
Supported
accommodation
Head of Support and
Care / Young
peoples service
Manager with
Newcastle City
Council Strategic
Housing Services
All staff in Young
peoples service
Head of Support and
Care / Young
peoples service
Manager
30/09/2009
31/03/2012
31/03/2011
31/03/2010
Staff within YPS 31/03/2010
Staff within YPS 31/03/2010
32

or emotional disability
2.16 Continue to promote our
services to disadvantaged
groups from BME
communities
2.17 We will ensure our range
services are offered to
refugees.
2.18 We will aim to meet the
needs of YP from LGBT
Community
peoples unit which treats young people
for mental health issues and the early
Intervention and Psychosis team.
We will continue to hold monthly
meetings with unaccompanied minor’s
team. We will continue to promote our
service through groups supporting BME
groups.
Through our links with unaccompanied
minors team & Asylum Seekers Unit for
16-25 years old.
We will continue to have regular
contact with specialist housing
providers and support services for
young people who are from LGBT
community or who are questioning their
sexuality
Staff within YPS 31/03/2010
Senior practitioners
and Youth Voice Coordinator.
31.10.09
Staff within YPS 31/03/2010
33

5.3 Priority three - Providing opportunities to achieve
It is imperative that all young people receive the support they need to reach their full potential. Research into youth
homelessness (Quilgars, D, Johnsen, S and Pleace, N. (2008) Youth homelessness in the UK: A decade of progress?
York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation has shown that young people who have all their needs assessed and met are far
more likely to succeed in independent living than those young people whose housing situation is looked at in isolation to
their other needs. We are committed to reducing worklessness amongst Council tenants in Newcastle and this strategic
objective builds on other valuable work happening within the organisation. Providing young people with opportunities to
achieve is about more than just ensuring they are engaged with education, training or employment; it is about ensuring
that young people are given the opportunities to achieve in all aspects of their lives.
It is also within the remit of the Family Intervention Project to ensure children attend school, are provided with positive
activities, and are not involved in crime.
34

Priority three: Providing opportunities to achieve
Ref Action to be delivered How we will do this: Responsibility Target for
completion
3.1 The number of jobless
people in receipt of statutory
benefits, helped by
Newcastle City Council into
sustained employment
(LPSA2 stretch target 3a)
YHN has a Skills to work Strategy which
outlines how it will contribute to this
target. It includes working in
partnership with Newcastle Futures,
providing volunteering opportunities as
per our Volunteers Policy and
supporting young people into
employment education and training
through additional support through the
Skills to work
Coordinator and
all staff within
YPS
31/03/2011
3.2 The number of jobless lone
parents helped by
Newcastle City Council into
sustained employment
(LPSA2 stretch target 4a)
Young Peoples Service.
(At the time of writing this strategy 36%
of young people that we support are
teenage parents, whilst 80% of families
assisted through our Family Intervention
Project are lone parents)
By continuing to provide holistic support
to assist lone parents to reach their
potential by raising aspirations which
could include returning to education,
training or employment
Young peoples
service Manager
and all YPS staff
31/03/2012
3.3 The percentage of resident
adults in Newcastle
participating in at least 30
minutes of moderatevigorous
physical activity
By providing benefit and budgeting
advice to teenage and lone parents so
they can make informed choices about
returning to work.
We have developed a partnership with
Sports Universities North East England
– SUNEE to provide access to coaching
and sports facilities each week. To
continue to promote and encourage
Floating Support
Senior
Practitioners
Positive activities
Co-coordinator/All
31/03/2010,
31/03/2011,
31/03/2012
35

and sport on 3 or more
occasions per week (LPSA2
stretch target 9)
3.4 Percentage of Year 11
students within the LNRS
areas who have not
achieved at least one entry
level qualification (LPSA2
stretch target 10b)
3.5 The number of adults
achieving full level 2
qualifications at Newcastle
College (LPSA2 stretch
target 11)
3.6 Percentage of Year 11
leavers within the 30% most
deprived wards in the City
(i.e. LNRS area) who are
NOT Settled in education
employment or training as
recorded in the November
Activity Survey (LPSA2
stretch target 12a)
young people to use this service.
Development of the ‘Bike it’ project
which will provide children and young
people with opportunities to repair &
maintain donated cycles so they can
use personally and on organised
activities.
Family intervention project to continue
to assist children and young people to
attend school.
YPS addresses gaps in education
through providing opportunities to have
their experiences accredited through
NCFE and ASDAN. This is ongoing
with young people receiving their
certificates at award ceremonies.
By continuing to take students on
placement from the Youth and
Community Work course and
supporting young people and parents
supported through the FIP to return to
education as part of their support plan.
Education and training is discussed with
all young people as part of the support
planning process
staff
YPS
Accommodation
Manager and staff
Family
Intervention
Project Manager
All managers &
Senior
Practitioners
within YPS
31/03/2010,
31/03/2011,
31/03/2012
31/03/2010,
31/03/2011,
31/03/2012
All staff 31/03/2010,
31/03/2011,
31/03/2012
36

3.7 Number of half day sessions
missed to authorised and
unauthorised absence
expressed as a percentage
of total number of half day
sessions in Newcastle’s
primary and secondary
school (PLSA2 stretch target
12b)
3.8 Provide opportunities to get
involved in volunteering for
young people and families,
recruit community volunteers
Family Intervention Project to continue
with multi-agency working to improve
school attendance for their children and
young people.
When a young person of school age
presents in housing need, YPS to make
appointments regarding the young
persons housing outside of school
hours where possible and practical.
This will include advertising and
promoting the scheme through personal
contacts, implementing rigorous
systems for screening potential
volunteers, initiating CRB, health and
personal references, interviewing and
assessing applicants in conjunction with
HR team, Employment Initiatives team
and Young Peoples service
management support officers.
FIP manager 31/03/2010,
31/03/2011,
31/03/2012
Volunteer
coordinator
31/03/2010
3.9 Deliver an induction training
programme and provide
monthly support
Work with Youth Voice coordinator and
Young Peoples service staff to identify
young people who may be interested in
volunteering with Youth Voice (peer
lead education and support) or
identifying adults within local
communities who may be interested in
volunteering with young people
To ensure that volunteers receive all
necessary induction into the work,
policies and procedures of the scheme,
project and the Organisation (including
Health and Safety and Safeguarding
Children & Adults policies) through our
Volunteer
Coordinator
31/03/2010,
31/03/2011,
31/03/2012
37

.
volunteer coordinator and
Organisational Development team. To
deliver a comprehensive training
programme for all volunteers including
children’s rights, health and safety and
equal opportunities, enabling
accreditation through a range of
schemes and awards
.
38

5.4 Priority four - Listening and involving young people
Two of the 12 key priorities identified during the ‘What Matters to us?’ research were about young people listening and
involving young people. As these priorities were established after consultation with young people we feel this objective is
highly important and relevant to the young people who we work with. These two priorities are:
• Respect for children and young people from adults and organisations and other children and young people
• Involvement in decision making
Listening and involving tenants is a priority for YHN. This area of work was highlighted as strength by the Audit
Commission in 2008.
YHN wish to ensure this remains to be the case. Mystery shopping will help us make sure that young people are offered
appropriate services when they contact us, regardless of how they contact us.
Young people involved with Youth Voice carry out Code of Conduct visits to services provided by Supporting People. The
reports they produce are used by Supporting People when they carry out their annual assessments of service which
received Supporting People grants in Newcastle. The Code of Conduct was developed by young people in response to
concerns that the services they received were not always adequate.
The young people’s service has used Hear by Right to evaluate their services. Hear by Right is a tried and tested
standards framework for organisations across the statutory and voluntary sectors to assess and improve
practice and policy on the active involvement of children and young people. It uses measurable standards to map
the current level of young people's participation across a wide range of service providers and then develops an action
plan to further this.
The Hear by Right standards framework is designed to help secure sustained and beneficial participation of children and
young people and to encourage continual organisational improvement. It is intended to be applied to all services that
affect children and young people, directly or indirectly. The framework encourages inclusion of a wide range of children
and young people, while urging care in choosing an approach which is appropriate to different ages, abilities and
understanding.
39

Hear by Right is based around the Seven S model for organisational change:
• Shared values;
• Strategy;
• Structure;
• Systems;
• Staff;
• Skills and knowledge
• Style of leadership.
For each of these seven standards, there are seven indicators. The standards are split into three levels of performance,
emerging, established and advanced. Each with standard builds upon the previous one - ensuring that young people's
involvement is built in and not just bolted on. There are certain requirements that need to be met in order to meet each
performance level.
The standards framework forms a practical, evidence based model of how to achieve change in an organisation, showing
how each relies on the other to move forward. The shared values are at the core of the framework and are vital when
developing a shared dialogue between service providers and their users. The standards require self-assessment and are
all evidence based. Evidence may be from paper, verbal records or direct observation and it may be gained from
practitioners, managers, elected members or trustees (depending on the context) as well as, crucially, from children and
young people themselves.
Hear by Right is a flexible tool and the wide range of users is testament to this. The standards framework has been used
within Local Authorities, Health providers, Education environments, the Voluntary, Community and Third sector as well as
part of the implementation of Children's Trusts. National Youth Agency website
40

Priority four: Listening and involving young people
Ref Action to be delivered How we will do this: Responsibility Target for
completion
4.1 We have achieved The
Customer Service
Excellence Standard in May
2009. We will be subject to
annual reviews to retain this
award.
• Understanding our customers better
Customer insight:
We will place more emphasis on
drawing out the opinions of customers
via both planned consultation events
(such as Youth Voice) and as part of
their regular support meetings with
staff. This will help improve our
understanding of customers
Young Peoples
Services Manager
/ All staff
30/06/2009
• The culture of the organisation:
This is concerned with the support for
customer focused approaches
throughout the organisation. –
Leadership, policy, vision, values,
strategies & procedures.
• Information and access:
This is about effective communication,
accurate and detailed.
• Delivery:
This covers how the business is carried
out, customer outcomes and managing
problems that arise.
• Timeless and quality of service:
Detailed look at standards relating to
carrying out business.
41

4.2 Increase the percentage of
customers who feel they can
influence decisions affecting
their local area.
Our service standard is that
we will involve 100% of our
service users in decisions
that effect their lives and
25% of our service users will
be encouraged to participate
in their community.
4.3 Provide other avenues as
well as Youth Voice for
young people to express
their opinions
By working with our Tenant Involvement
Team to involving tenants in decision
making. Children and Young People
are often not asked their opinions so we
will provide a range of opportunities for
them to give their opinions, including
holding special events held at ‘Pizza
Hut ‘when we wish to consult them on a
range of issues.
By coordinating the Youth
Independence Forum held on a monthly
basis at Brunswick Methodist Church
Hall. This forum reports to the
Newcastle council Steering Group for
Housing and Homelessness and also
reports to the Newcastle Homeless
forum. Youth Voice leads this Forum.
By drafting and maintaining a Positive
Activities that allows young people to
access the service in a way which suits
them.
YPS manager,
Youth Voice
coordinator and
all staff within
YPS
Youth Voice
Coordinator / All
staff
31/03/2010,
31/03/2011,
31/03/2012
31/03/2010,
31/03/2011,
31/03/2012
48 Youth Voice sessions to take place
each year.
4.4 All young people to be
encouraged to participate in
the support offered to them
through the support planning
process.
SUNEE partnership and A2B work to be
maintained to allow young people the
chance to participate through sport
By arranging ongoing training for staff
and drop in sessions to ensure all staff
are aware of the importance of
involvement.
By working as a team to ensure all
aspects of a young persons
Youth Voice
coordinator / All
staff
31/03/2010,
31/03/2011,
31/03/2012
42

4.5 Plan to carry out Code of
Conduct visits at Housing
Offices
4.6 We will assess YHN as an
organisation by using the
Hear By Right standards
4.7 Develop an awareness
briefing for all customer
facing YHN staff so they
understand the needs of
young people
involvement with the service is recorded
and recognised
By carrying out a code of conduct visit
on every housing office
Hear by Right standards will be used to
assess our customer facing services –
these are Young Peoples Service,
Housing Management and Tenant
Participation Team and Central
Administration Team
Young people who are existing
customers of YHN YPS will develop and
deliver a briefing with support from the
Youth Voice coordinator
Youth Voice
Coordinator
Youth Voice
Coordinator,
Customer Service
Manager, Head of
Housing
Management, &
Tenant
Involvement
Manager
Youth Voice
Coordinator and
young people
31/03/2011
31/03/2011
31/03/2010
43

For further details contact:
Kim McMaster
Young Peoples Service Manager
Your Homes Newcastle
1 St Floor
Gosforth Community Housing Office
High Street
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 2JL
Telephone: 0191 277 1190
Fax: 0191 277 1198
www.yhn.org.uk/yps
44