22% more young homelessness people in Aylesbury Vale than national average
A study produced by a local charity revealed a 66% in young homelessness from 2018-19 in Aylesbury Vale
According to a study conducted by the charity Youth Concern, they found that Aylesbury Vale had a 22% higher average of young homeless people than the national average.
In 2019, 330 young people aged 16-24 identified themselves as homeless or at risk of homelessness in Aylesbury Vale. This represents a 66% increase on 2018 (199 young people).
Hannah Asquith, CEO of Youth Concern says: “When we think about homelessness, we usually picture someone sleeping rough, in an underpass or by a train station. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. We don’t know the true extent of hidden homelessness, people living in temporary and precarious accommodation. And we don’t often think about teenagers and young adults without a safe bed. This report reveals the shocking extent of the youth homelessness crisis here in Aylesbury Vale. We want to raise awareness of Youth Concern’s emergency accommodation service, Nightstop Aylesbury, revamped and reopening in the wake of the pandemic. We want to work with other organisations across the Vale to help young people into safe accommodation. We want to be there for vulnerable young people when they need us most.”
Nightstop Aylesbury
Nightstop Aylesbury has been running since 2012. It tackles youth homelessness by providing emergency overnight accommodation for 16-25 year olds who are facing a night in an unsafe place. It is part of a nationwide response to homelessness co-ordinated by Depaul UK, a national charity for homeless people. Communities and charities run Nightstops in 30 locations around the UK. Youth Concern runs the Nightstop service in Aylesbury Vale. Since 2012 Youth Concern has provided emergency accommodation to 150 young people locally.
Vetted and trained volunteer hosts provide a safe, welcoming place for young people in crisis. They open their homes for up to three nights, offering a private spare room, a hot meal, a shower and washing facilities. Nightstop guests visit Youth Concern’s ‘Drop-in Centre’ in Aylesbury town centre during the day, where youth workers will support them with their needs including mediation with family, counselling, signing up for benefits, completing forms, access to education, employment and training and finding suitable move-on accommodation.
In March 2020 Covid-19 caused a temporary pause to Nightstop Aylesbury which gave Youth Concern the opportunity to undertake research into local need and review the existing Nightstop provision to understand how the service was perceived by young people and how it could be improved to provide even greater levels of support.
Councillor Nick Naylor, Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Regulatory Services said: “The report highlights the real challenges for young homeless people in the Aylesbury Vale area. Youth Concern is a long established and valued partner in Buckinghamshire and we will be focusing on the report and looking at ways to work with Youth Concern to address the findings of the work they have done.”
Youth Concern
Youth Concern supports vulnerable 13-25 year olds across Aylesbury Vale. From its base in Aylesbury town centre, the charity’s experienced team of staff and volunteers offer a range of services including emotional support, counselling, food and care parcels, advocacy, help with employment, education and training, and practical assistance to deal with homelessness.