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How we are helping young people sleeping rough in Birmingham during the COVID-19 pandemic

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How we are helping young people sleeping rough in Birmingham during the COVID-19 pandemic

As you’ll be well aware the COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented situation which has massively impacted on and curtailed our daily routines and social situations. The latest government announcement on Monday ordered everyone to ‘stay home’, but then what happens if you don’t have a home?

We’ve had quite a few direct messages from our supporters about this so we just wanted to update you on what our Birmingham outreach teams and the partnership of agencies across Birmingham are now doing, and also how young people can get help right now.

It is certainly a worrying time for everyone but even more so for the most vulnerable members of our society.

Our Outreach team remains operational

We want to reassure our supporters; the Outreach team is still operational and available during this crisis. They aren’t doing their daily walkabouts around the city due to the risks but they are still going out to any young person that is reported to be rough sleeping to support them to access accommodation.

Accommodation units have been made available at St Basils for this purpose, for young people under the age of 25.

The Outreach team are also going out to vulnerable young people known to us, who are in accommodation, to drop food parcels and ensure that they have medication.

On a wider scale; St Basils and all other agencies have been working together to try and get as many people in to accommodation as possible over the last couple of weeks, in preparation for this lockdown situation.

Our Birmingham Youth Hub remains open but please call first

Our Birmingham Youth Hub remains open during usual office hours (apart from Wednesday mornings before 1pm).

The only difference is we are asking young people in need of help to call first so that we can assess the situation and advise of next steps. It may be that we can manage the whole situation over the phone.

However, if a young person does need to present then we have the facilities to conduct an over the phone assessment at the Birmingham Youth Hub.

How to get help in Birmingham right now

If you or a young person you know in Birmingham is homeless or needs help or advice with any problem that may impact on their housing situation then please get in touch with us:

Text ‘Need St Basils’ to our FREE text number: 62277

Call the Birmingham Youth Hub via our helpline youthline: 0300 303 0099

These numbers are operational during usual office hours. For evenings and weekends please see our out of hours numbers page.

 

Birmingham Outreach and Youth Hub Team Leaders