Family Mediation and Negotiation
Our mediation service works with young people and their families to resolve issues which are impacting on relationships at home.
Our focus is always on preventing homelessness, therefore we will attempt to offer a mediation service to all young people aged 16 to 25 who present at our Youth Hubs who are threatened with homelessness or who are homeless. We want to intervene early if it is safe to do so before it gets to crisis point.
We know that mediation may not be suitable for everyone. However, from our experience of working with young people and families, we know that relationship disputes happen, and it is good to talk.
Our Mediation Service will always be voluntary and confidential, and the mediator has no personal interest in the outcome of the process. It is all about:
- Listening
- Talking
- Communicating
- Compromising
- Moving Forward
Negotiation with Landlords and Housemates/ Neighbours
We will negotiate with a current accommodation provider/ landlord where there are affordability issues or rent arrears becoming a concern. We know that rent arrears and anti-social behaviours have led to many young people losing their tenancies. We will try to negotiate with the landlord on the young persons behalf if they recognise the issues and are willing to work with us to resolve challenges. If there has been a breakdown in the relationship with house mates, neighbours etc, we can also offer this support.
Mediation is just one of our many Prevention offers. Please see below for how we can further support you.
Referrals to Support Services
For issues that may be affecting their ability to maintain a tenancy e.g., addiction or mental health issues, substance misuse problems, etc, we can make a referral to access our floating support service if this would help sustain their tenancy or improve their relationship with others. For those who have experienced Domestic Violence, we can refer you to the Sanctuary Scheme if appropriate.
Access to a Range of Accommodation Options
If homelessness cannot be prevented, the St Basils Youth Hubs will attempt to assist the young person by helping them secure alternative accommodation, including Private Rented Sector (PRS).
Other Prevention Services
- Housing information and guidance
- Providing information and advice for young people and their families
- Tailored advice to help young people resolve their housing issues independently where possible
- Family support intervention
For more information and to access Mediation Services, please contact us by calling us on:
0300 3030 099 for services near Birmingham and surrounding
0330 332 7978 for services near Solihull and surrounding
You can also click here to find the contact information for your exact area.