Spotlight on: Young people and homelessness
- Online
- Monday 9 September 2024, 10am-1pm

£130+VAT standard rate | £115+VAT discount rate
A half day online learning event dedicated to the critical issue of youth homelessness.
Engage with leading voices in the field, with keynote presentations from Centrepoint and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on their efforts to alleviate youth homelessness and enhance the lives of young people facing homelessness.
What this workshop covers
This event will provide insights into youth homelessness and best practice through panels led by Centrepoint and MHCLG.
You'll also have the opportunity to attend one of two workshops led by Shelter's expert trainers.
These sessions will focus on the application of trauma-informed care in youth interactions and a comprehensive overview of the legal responsibilities involved in housing and aiding homeless young people, including care leavers.
Who this workshop is for
You might work for a local authority in housing or homelessness.
This event is also suitable for staff and volunteers at voluntary agencies who provide advice and assistance to homeless clients, and others from local and national government who work with young homeless people.
Agenda
10am
Welcome and introduction with Ian Hamilton, Training and Consultancy Services Team Leader, Shelter.
10:05am
Changing the story: preventing youth homelessness and providing routes out
with Michelle Donovan, Head of Independent Living at Centrepoint, and Stephen Elder, National Prevention Manager at Centrepoint.
Find out more
Panel one: Changing the story: preventing youth homelessness and providing routes out
This presentation will highlight how Centrepoint is stemming the flow of youth homelessness through innovative upstream prevention work in schools. The Upstream England programme works with 13–16 year olds to identify children who are hidden at risk and works with them and their families to prevent homelessness.
Centrepoint’s Upstream England project follows in the footsteps of Llamau’s Upstream Cymru. The Upstream survey was created by Llamau and Cardiff University and was itself modelled on the successful approach of the Australian Upstream Project, which saw youth homelessness numbers reduce by up to 40%.
The session will outline how partnership working with others is the crucial ingredient for making both programmes successful and how putting young people at the heart of both programmes enables effective, replicable schemes.
Followed by a question and answer session.
10:55am
You'll have the choice to attend one of two workshops by Shelter's expert trainers.
Workshop one: Trauma informed approaches to working with homeless youth
with Donna Sheldon, Trainer, Shelter.
Find out more
Workshop one: Trauma informed approaches to working with homeless youth
This workshop will provide delegates with an introductory knowledge of trauma informed approaches and best practice when working with homeless young people. Delegates will get the opportunity to learn more about the benefits of integrating a trauma informed approach into their work.
This workshop will include:
an explanation of trauma and stress vs. trauma
trauma informed practice and psychologically informed environments
adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and the implications and impact of trauma
core principles and pillars of a trauma informed approach
individual and organisational benefits of being trauma informed
the difference you can make in your role
Workshop two: Housing for homeless young people
with Radhika Shah, Trainer, Shelter.
Find out more
This workshop will explore duties to house and assist homeless young people, including from social services and local authority housing departments. It will also briefly look at housing duties to care leavers and how to challenge a decision not to house or assist a homeless young person.
This workshop will include:
when social services have a duty to house a young person
when the local housing authority has a duty to house a young person
how to challenge a decision not to house a young person
housing duties to care leavers
11:55am
Break
12:05pm
MHCLG youth homelessness advisers: preventing and reducing youth homelessness
with Jill Boak and Samad Nadimi, Youth Homelessness Advisers, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Find out more
Panel two: MHCLG youth homelessness advisers: preventing and reducing youth homelessness
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) provide advice and guidance to local areas implementing the Homelessness Reduction Act, working closely with local authorities on delivery of the new duties, improving performance and homelessness prevention services to young people, in particular 16-17 year olds and care leavers.
This session aims to inform, update, and share best practices.
Followed by a question and answer session.
1pm
Finish
Featuring speakers from:

Level: Introductory
CPD points: 3 (pending)