St Basils works with young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, helping over 5000 young people per year across the West Midlands region with specific services in Birmingham, Coventry, Leamington Spa, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the Wyre Forest.
Scroll down to find out more.
Every year over 1500 young people are housed in our 39 supported accommodation schemes, which for some young people includes their young children as well.
We have a range of prevention, accommodation, support, employability and engagement services to help young people regain the stability they need to rebuild their lives, gain skills, confidence and employment and move on.
The aim is to help them successfully break the ‘cycle of homelessness’ so that they can go on to experience a bright, fulfilling future and never return to a state where they are at risk of homelessness again.
What is it we are ultimately trying to do? Here’s Barrie from the team to tell you.
Referrals
Gender
51% of referrals to our services were young men;
48% young women;
1% Transgender
Ethnicity
58% referrals were Black or Minority Ethnic (BME) young people
Age
21% of referrals were aged 16-17 years;
52% were aged 18-21 years;
27% were aged 22-25
Employment status
58% of referrals aged 16-17 were Not in Education, Employment or Training
82% of 18-21s were unemployed
79% of 22-25s were unemployed
Reasons for homelessness
57% of young people cited family conflict as a contributory factor leading to homelessness
Additional support needs
61% have multiple support needs, including Domestic Violence, complex trauma, Autism Spectrum Disorder, sexual exploitation, self-harm, suicidal ideation; drugs and alcohol, criminal convictions
25% of young people have 5 or more such needs
Outcomes
72% of young people had their homelessness prevented (see Homelessness Reduction Act for definition).
1,117 different young people lived with us during the year (up from 1,079 last year)
90% of young people achieved positive outcomes and left in a planned positive way
This promotional film aims to explain a bit more about how we try to improve the lives of young people.
It features a poem written by Beth, a former young resident of ours.
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