The Albert Kennedy Trust – No young person should have to choose between a safe home and being who they are.

Unison presentation – 20.10.17 LGBT Homelessness and the unique challenges the young people face What AKT does to help the young people? What is AKT’s impact? Possible ways we could work together and time for questions.

Working to end LGBT youth homelessness 150,000 homeless young people aged 16-25 (Centrepoint 2016) LGBT young people are significantly over-represented within the youth homelessness population with up to 24% identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans* 77% of young people we see say parental rejection and/or abuse led to their homelessness due to coming out

Additional Challenges There is a significant lack of targeted service provision for LGBT Homeless youth Many organisations do not routinely collect LGBT monitoring data Many LGBT people do not feel safe or able to come out in mainstream services Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia are in existence Services staff may not have knowledge or understanding of issues Many organisations do not have initiatives which address or include the needs of LGBT young people

LGBT young people are at significantly higher risk of exposure to a range of experiences associated with becoming homeless, in particular: parental rejection, familial physical / sexual / emotional abuse and familial violence Other issues include: Forced Marriage Low self-esteem Honour based violence Bullying in education Neighbourhood harassment Hate crime Self-harm & suicide Sex for favours, e.g. money, drugs and accommodation

LGBT young people are more likely to experience targeted violence and discrimination •are significantly more likely to experience mental health, substance misuse and sexual exploitation than their peers •are less likely to seek support than their non-LGBT peers

AKT works to ensure young LGBT people have the start in life they deserve.

What we do Provide safe homes for LGBT young people aged 16 – 25 who: Are homeless At risk of homelessness Living in a hostile environment

How do we do it Safe Homes: Supported Lodgings Purple Door Project Emergency Support Assessment Advocacy, advice & support Face to face and digital mentoring Independent living and life skills training Peer Support Training for providers

AKT’s Purple Pathway Wherever possible AKT focuses on interventions which prevent homelessness. When this is not possible or safe for the young person we provide support from emergency accommodation through to helping young people live independently by supporting them to secure longer term accommodation, training, education and employment Purple Door LGBT Hostel Mentoring Programme and Inter-AKT Supported Lodgings programme

AKT 2016 Impact Nearly 8,000 nights off the street Over 1,000 calls from young people Intensive level of individualised case work and support services provided to over 700 young people Over 80% of young people placed in safe homes Over 90% of those helped felt that their lives and wellbeing had greatly improved through the care they received by AKT

Highlights for 2017-18 Inter-AKT: New Digital programme providing mentoring and online resources to young people facing or at risk of homelessness Purple Door: Review our provision of supported accommodation and development of a 5 year strategy Carers Programme: A network of dedicated carers who create safe homes for LGBT young people. Recruitment drive for new carer households Youth Inclusion Programme: providing a voice to empower young people across the UK to influence the development and delivery of our services and those of other LGBT providers; whilst also influencing policy makers and commissioners.

Possibly ways Unison can support AKT’s work: - Awareness: Follow us on social media and tell your own personal and professional networks. It would be great to have AKT, especially Inter-AKT, being known in schools and colleges. Action: Getting the message out to young LGBT people who are living in hostile environments that there are safe places to go to get support. Inter-AKT: is a national offer of support to young people. Perhaps spread the word of Inter-AKT to other Unison regions

Any questions? Help yourself to any literature

Senior Practitioner (London) www.akt.org.uk Facebook: The Albert Kennedy Trust Twitter: @AlbertKennedyTr James Hughes Senior Practitioner (London) james@akt.org.uk 020 7831 6562