Happy New Year everyone although the holiday season seems so very far away now. Welcome to my first ever blog for Chai times it’s a privilege to have been asked.
My name is Maura Jackson and I am the CEO of a local charity called Bolton Young Persons Housing Scheme, a service which provides accommodation and support to homeless people aged 16 – 25 years of age. I say that all the time by way of an introduction but rarely really think about what it means. It means that in Bolton and across the UK there are homeless people of all ages; but 16, really? Who was ready to leave home and live independently at 16? Most people from my generation (I’m 45) were listening to Wham or Frankie goes to Hollywood records and wondering if they had enough money for the Nevada at the weekend; not paying rent, topping up utility meters and worrying where the cost of your next meal might come from.
I have spent 26 years now working in housing, homelessness, criminal justice and domestic abuse services. My passion is working with young people and women. I have been CEO at BYPHS for 3.5 years and I am very lucky indeed to be doing something I really enjoy and get paid for it.
So, Christmas has just passed and it’s been a very busy time of year for BYPHS with days out for the young people to Cheshire Falconry, Cinema and a Christmas Party as well as giving out hampers, gifts and items to make the holiday season feel special. We have 103 young people on the scheme at the moment and work with around 300 every year. The majority of those youngsters are aged between 16 and 21.
The amount of generosity we see at Christmas is amazing; food, money, clothes, bedding, gifts etc are plentiful and the young people are grateful. The public, local groups and businesses really do look out for us. At BYPHS young people are for life not just for Christmas and this is a year long battle. Many people expect that we are inundated with referrals at Christmas but in fact that isn’t so. Our peak in referrals is May and June when the school leavers who have no further education, training or employment lined up suddenly stop bringing in child benefit. A depressing but true statement.
Post Christmas I’ve seen two great outcomes even though I know there are more. Two young people moved off the scheme last week into their own independent accommodation. The first a young woman who was with us for a year did well from the off. With guidance and support paid bills, attended college, kept her flat clean and tidy and did well managing her visitors. She was a superb tenant and has deservedly moved on. The other a young man was slightly more challenging shall we say? The low level but persistent anti social behaviour, refusal to take help from us, alcohol abuse, mates congregating and causing damage in communal areas and so on would have got him evicted from any other scheme in the land. But something clicked; either he had a moment of clarity or we wore him down with our perseverance and he decided to engage with his support worker. She made him a deal – get a grip and we will help you. Carry on and we have to part company but the implications of that are long lasting and we cannot control that for you. He turned it around and after some months of progress he too moved into his new flat.
So over the next two weeks I will be blogging about the highs and lows of homelessness and the charitable sector with a few women’s issues thrown in for good measure. Like many issues including domestic abuse and mental illness; homelessness is not just something that happens to a certain type or group of the population. It can happen to anyone. They say we are all only three pay days away from being homeless?
This week I was very saddened to hear David Bowie had died after being ill with cancer. A talent; a superstar. An icon to me and millions of others, He was someone who made mistakes, challenged stereotypes, was ridiculed and bullied because of how he looked but put two fingers up to the bullies, an inspiration. He also experienced poverty and homelessness as a younger man. So you never know where BYPHS ex residents will end up. They are all superstars.
I will finish with his words.
Changes 1971 – David Bowie
“And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They’re quite aware of what they’re going through
Ch Ch Ch Ch changes……….”
Bolton Young Persons Housing Scheme is all about change. If you can support that change we have a campaign throughout January called donate your first hours pay of 2016 to give a young person a happier new year. Text BYPH16 £5 or BYPH16 £10 to 70070 and support our crisis fund which pays for essential items such as food or electricity so young people can heat and eat! It does not pay for our running costs. If you can’t don’t worry just please share my blog.
Have a great week everyone.
Maura
( photos: courtesy everyoneat BYPHS)