Sevenly // RE*Generation {Virgin}

This week the amazing Sevenly has partnered with Re*generation fighting against homelessness. The RE*Generation is Virgin Mobile’s cause marketing initiative to address youth homelessness. Their mission is to empower a generation to help its own by connecting individuals and organisations who want to improve the life of these young people. The issue caught their attention in 2006 as they were looking for a cause to align with and rally behind. It’s an overlooked problem in the US and the result of other societal problems like poverty, drug abuse, mental illness, domestic violence and homophobia. Foster children who “age” out of the system often become homeless and make up a growing number of the homeless youth population. 

When you see a young homeless person, what goes through your mind? Is there judgment? Do you stereotype this person as a drug addict or a jobless loser? Contrary to stereotypical perception, many of these people do not live on the street because they are rebellious youth but rather due to circumstances beyond their control- circumstances that force them to seek refuge on the streets. Girls that are being sexually molested by their fathers, boys who are being physically abused by their supposed loved ones run away and are left on the streets because of the harsh card life has dealt them.

THE SOLUTION:

This week, Sevenly have partnered with RE*Generation and Virgin Mobile USA to provide a living facility that will give homeless youth the tools to build a better future. In this home, they will receive a plethora of valuable resources including: education counseling, vocational training, job placement and employment counseling, information resource and referral, community service, and follow up care. These homeless youth deserve a chance at a better life!

So change a life by and spread the word with a tshirt or jumper (and many more items!) from Sevenly!

Blessings!

Ronell x

Housing Benefit and Night Shelters

I signed an important petition today regarding housing benefit for homeless people who are staying in night shelters. Please sign this petition today to reach the 2,000 required signatures! (details below)

Blessings!

Ronell x

TO: SECRETARY OF STATE IAIN DUNCAN SMITH

1,352
of 2,000 signatures

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Campaign created by Phil Brown 

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Campaign Website

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FACEBOOK

TWITTER

 

EMAIL

Dear Mr Duncan Smith, please make an allowance in the application of the definition of "dwelling", in terms of Housing Benefit, in the context of a homeless person's period of stay at a night shelter, so that a night shelter will automatically qualify as a dwelling and enable Housing Benefit to be claimable.

Why is this important?

There has been a change to a point of law regarding what qualifies as a dwelling in order for Housing Benefit to be paid.

Specifically, where a homeless person stays for a night at an emergency night shelter, if that night shelter does not allow: 

a) the ability for the homeless person to stay for at least 24 hours in a space they can call their own, and ... 

b) somewhere for the homeless person to leave personal belongings if they leave the shelter, and ...

c) a guarantee that they can have access the following day

then that shelter, since the 6th February 2013, appears to no longer qualify as a "home" for housing benefit purposes.

The difficulty is that staff and volunteers who run night shelters need to sleep during the day so that they can provide the service the following night.

Until the 6th February 2013, night shelters offering a place to stay, typically between 8.00pm and 8.00am have had no problem in being able to receive Housing Benefit and to rely on this as a key income stream in their budgets.

Since the 6th February 2013, individual Councils have interpreted a court decision regarding a night shelter in Anglesey, Wales, in one of two ways, either:

1) They have decided that certain night shelters must stop receiving Housing Benefit;

or:

2) They have decided that "Night shelters play a very important role and we are pleased the support they receive via Housing Benefit will continue." Quote from Blackpool Council Cabinet Member Gillian Campbell.

Stopping Housing Benefit payments to night shelters means a significant reduction in their income stream, and may mean they have to close.  For a case study, look at the Narrowgate Night Shelter in Salford, Greater Manchester - http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/15/benfits-rule-closing-night-shelters?INTCMP=SRCH

Please add your voice to this campaign and help to ensure homeless people continue to receive life saving help.

How it will be delivered

Deliver in person.

Centrepoint: Helping Homeless Young People

Following on from yesterday’s post about the homeless sleeping rough in the cold weather, I decided to research a little further about charities and organizations who help the homeless. I found Centrepoint, who focuses on young people.

Centrepoint provides a safe place to live for more than 1,000 young people, aged 16-25, in London and the North East of England. But Centrepoint is more than just a room. They support these young people into positive and independent living with health programmes, life skills and learning opportunities.

80,000 young people experience homelessness in the UK every year, which is a worryingly high figure. This number does not even take into account the 'hidden homeless', like sofa surfers and young people sleeping on night buses.

At Centrepoint, they believe that we should live in a society where all young people are able to realise their potential. Since 1969, they have helped over 75,000 homeless young people to do just that.

Through an award-winning approach to supporting homeless young people, collaborating with others and influencing government policy, Centrepoint strives to achieve their vision of ending youth homelessness.

Their work is supported by thousands of donors, hundreds of volunteers and HRH The Duke of Cambridge, who became their Patron in 2005.

You too can support the work of Centrepoint by:

·   Volunteering

·   Fundraising

·   Donating

·      Sponsor a room at Centrepoint for just 40p a day

·      Payroll Giving

·      Leaving a gift in your will

·      Leaving a gift celebrating the memory of a loved one

·      Through unwanted shares

·      Bursaries for studies

Blessings!

Ronell x

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” {Proverbs 19:17}