SCHOOL ACTIVITY PACK

1625 Independent People’s school z pack z z

introducing homelessness LESSON 1

G NIN VES R LEA ECTI J OB

To understand what home means to different people, what it means to be homeless, and how homelessness can happen.

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• PSHE - Economic well-being and being a responsible citizen.

• Gives students information to help them make informed choices about the world around them.

• Gives students the chance to research, discuss and debate topical issues.

• Recognises and challenges discrimination and stereotypes.

• Encourages understanding that everyone has human rights • Encourages understanding of the role money plays in theirs and other peoples lives.

1. INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD/OR WHITEBOARD 2. BUILDING BLOCKS (USE ANY WOODEN BLOCKS)

Reflection Go over main points - do they understand the difference between a house and a home?

TASK 1

Reflect on how home means something different to everyone, and what it would mean without these things.

WHAT DOES HOMELESSNESS MEAN? Approximate time: 20 minutes

1. PSHE - Economic well-being and being a responsible citizen.

2. Gives students information to help them make informed choices about the world around them.

TASK 2

loss of home

Reflection Reflect how it is important to have a stable structure in life, and how easily people can lose that stability.

Approximate time: 25 minutes 1. Divide the students up into groups of four or five.

2. Ask them to create a structure using five blocks in total. Four standing on end and with one block resting on top.

3. Ask them to remove one block from the bottom and see if the structure stays standing.

4. Keep removing blocks until the structure falls apart.

5. Explain how each block holding the top one up represents one of the following essentials: an income, family, home and health, and how when you took one away things wobbled, and eventually everything fell apart.

6. Ensure the children know how important it is to tell an adult as soon as they know something is wrong.

introducing homelessness LESSON 2

ING ES N R LEA ECTIV J OB

To understand what home means to different people, what it means to be homeless, and how homelessness can happen.

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• Maths – Students should be able to add and subtract numbers mentally using increasingly large numbers, and multiply and divide numbers mentally drawing upon known facts.

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1. BUDGET WORKSHEET (SUPPLIED) 2. TRUE/FALSE WORKSHEET (SUPPLIED)

TASK 1

budgeting exercise

Approximate time: 20 minutes

Reflection Discuss how people have a responsibility to pay for certain things, talk about the importance of being able to pay for bills etc.

1. Hand out budgeting work sheets.

2. The budget is £900. Ask the children to prioritise the items they feel are most important. How much do they have left?

3. Can they afford the chosen items?

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• PSHE - Economic well-being and being a responsible citizen.

• Gives students information to help them make informed choices about the world around them.

• Gives students the chance to research, discuss and debate topical issues.

• Recognises and challenges discrimination and stereotypes.

• Encourages understanding that everyone has human rights.

• Encourages understanding of the role money plays in theirs and other peoples lives.

TASK 2

true or false quiz Approximate time: 20 minutes

1. Hand out True/False resource.

2. Ask the children to fill in the sheet.

3. This can be made more interactive by splitting the room into two halves, one being ‘true’ and one being ‘false’.

4. As each statement is read out, ask the pupils to stand on whichever half of the room is ‘true’ or ‘false’. Ensure to explain the correct answer.

Reflection Reflect on what the children have learned from the True/False quiz.

Did anything surprise them?

budget work sheet TASK 1 ITEMS

BUDGET

WATER

£30 PM

GAS

£45 PM

ELECTRIC

£35 PM

RENT

£550 PM

COUNCIL TAX

£125 PM

FOOD

£90 PM

INTERNET

£25 PM

TV

£20 PM

MOBILE PHONE BILL

£15 PM

LANDLINE

£15 PM

SHOPPING TRIP

£25 PM

DAYS OUT

£50 PM

TOTAL...

1

2

4 7

3

5 8

6 9

quiz: true or false TASK 2

Question

Answer

1. Children and young people can be homeless

TRUE

FALSE

2. Being homeless means you live outside

TRUE

FALSE

3. Not all homeless people have an alcohol or drug problem

TRUE

FALSE

4. You can have a family and be homeless

TRUE

FALSE

5. There is no help for homeless people

TRUE

FALSE

6. Homelessness can happen in any area

TRUE

FALSE

7. Building more houses will get rid of homelessness

TRUE

FALSE

8. Homeless people have never had a job

TRUE

FALSE

9. People are homeless by choice

TRUE

FALSE

10. You can make a difference to homelessness

TRUE

FALSE

quiz answers TASK 2

1. TRUE: In 2018-19, 103,000 young people asked for help with homelessness in the UK. 2. FALSE: Some homeless people may have to sleep outside, however you are considered homeless if you do not live in a house. You could be regularly sleeping on a friend’s sofa or sleeping in your car and still be classed as homeless.

3. TRUE: Some homeless people may have an addiction, but not every person.

4. TRUE: Some homeless people have a family but that family cannot or will not help them.

5. FALSE: There are a number of charities that help prevent homelessness in the South West, for example – 1625ip, Barnados, St Mungos, Shelter, Caring in Bristol, Help Bristols Homeless, Emmaus 6. TRUE: People can be without a home everywhere. In big cities, there is generally more support and emergency accommodation than smaller towns and villages.

7. FALSE: Building houses is only one step. People need to have a stable income to afford their house, and pay for bills and food. A good support network of friends, family and community is also essential to ensure people can keep their homes.

8. FALSE: Anyone can become homeless. Someone who is working may lose their job, and may be unable to keep up with rent or mortgage payments, and may then subsequently lose their house.

9. FALSE: There are many reasons why a young person may become homeless. They may have been forced to leave home, experienced family breakdown, or they could have no other choice.

10. TRUE: There are lots of things you can do to stop homelessness. These include donating to and fundraising for homeless charities, or simply spreading the word about the issue.

MAKING IT PERSONAL LESSON 3

ING ES N R LEA ECTIV J OB

To understand how it may feel to become homeless, and how homelessness can affect different people in a number of ways.

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• English – Pupils gaining knowledge from reading.

• Develop skills in discussion and paired talk.

• Allows children to elaborate and explain their ideas and opinions.

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1. ‘WAY HOME’ BY LIBBY HATHORN AND GREGORY ROGERS OR SIMILAR

TASK 1

STORYTIME

Approximate time: 40 minutes 1. Read the book ‘Way Home’ by Libby Hathorn and Gregory Rogers to the class.

2. Discuss the ending. Were they expecting Shane to be homeless? How do they think he could have got into that situation?

Reflection Why could Shane be in that situation? Where could he go for help? (Adult, teacher, family, friend, nurse).

making it personal LESSON 4

ING ES N R LEA ECTIV J OB

To understand how it may feel to become homeless, and how homelessness can affect different people in a number of ways.

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RC U O RES DED E NE

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• English – Pupils gaining knowledge from reading.

• Enhancing their story writing skills, with correct grammar and punctuation.

• Develop skills in discussion and paired talk. Allows children to elaborate and explain their ideas and opinions.

• To enhance their learning further, the diary exercise could require the pupils to use five key words that they have learnt that week.

1. ‘ASHLEY’ CHARACTER PROFILE (SUPPLIED)

TASK 1

diary entry

Approximate time: 30 minutes

Reflection he ley’ using t h s ‘A r te c a r e the cha 1. Introduc file.

‘Ashley’ pro as if diary entry a e it r w to hildren 2. Ask the c y’. shle they are ‘A part e from any b ld u o c y r y ent homeless, g in m o 3. The diar c e b . ay life, e.g. odation etc m m o of day to d c c a g elp, gettin receiving h

ir ead out the r to n e r d il . Ask Ask the ch ss each one u c is d , s ie r their diary ent and justify te a r o b la e them to they have s g in h t h it sw diary entrie youth homelessness. out learned ab sitive note. o p a n o n o s ?

End the les go for help y le h s A ld Where wou ? shley talk to A ld u o c o Wh

TASK 1

ASHLEY CHARACTER prOFILE Approximate time: 40 minutes

Ashley is 18 and had always lived alone with Mum, until Mum passed away a month ago. Ashley has no other family so is homeless.

Ashley managed to stay at a friend’s house for a few weeks, but it was really crowded so Ashley had to leave. Someone at college told Ashley about 1625ip, a youth homeless charity, which arranged accomodation straight away with 24 hour support and help.

Some points to think about • • • •

How do you think Ashley is feeling?

Who else could Ashley talk to?

What does Ashley miss most?

What positive events can Ashley look forward to?

WHAT YOU CAN DO NEXT LESSON 5

ING ES N R LEA ECTIV J OB

To understand what can be done to help young homeless people, and to develop ideas of what you can do.

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• Art and Design – developing creativity and technique.

• PSHE - Economic well-being and being a responsible citizen.

• Gives students information to help them make informed choices about the world around them.

• Gives students the chance to research, discuss and debate topical issues. Recognise and challenge discrimination and stereotypes.

• To understand that everyone has human rights.

• The role money plays in theirs and other people’s lives.

1. Definitions of fundraising, volunteering & donating (supplied) 2. Pictures of previous sleepouts (1625ip website) 3. Picture of an example cardboard shelter

TASK 1

REFLECT ON YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

Reflection Reflect on why it’s important to fundraise / volunteer / donate. This links to PSHE National Curriculum.

Approximate time: 40 minutes

1. Hand out budgeting work sheets.

2. The budget is £900. Ask the children to prioritise the items they feel are most important. How much do they have left?

3. Can they afford the chosen items?

TASK 2

CAN YOUR SCHOOL HOST A SCHOOL SLEEPOUT? Approximate time: 40 minutes

YES

1. Suggest the idea of a SleepOut. 2. Do the pupils think it could work? Show examples of previous SleepOuts on1625ip’s website.

3. If this is something everyone agrees would work you can start designing cardboard shelters for the night. How practical can they make it?

4. Ask the students to present their ideas for the cardboard shelter.

NO

1. You don’t have to focus on having a school Sleep Out. Instead you could create a poster with all the learnt facts.

2. Pupils could either do it in a group or individually and present back to the group.

Reflection Reflect how it is important to have a stable structure in life, and how easily people can lose that stability.

TASK 2

definitions

FUNDRAISING

“Seeking to generate financial support for a charity, cause or other enterprise.”

(Oxford English Dictionary, 2017) An example of this may be a bake sale or a sponsored walk.

Some people run marathons and get sponsored by people to run for a charity.

1625ip runs annual sleepouts, where people get sponsored to sleep outside all night – in a cardboard shelter.

VOLUNTEERING

A volunteer “is a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.” (Oxford English Dictionary, 2017) Someone may volunteer to work for a charity, this means they help the charity for free.

Volunteering can also mean giving up free time to help a charity.

DONATE

“Give (money or goods) for a good cause, for example to a charity.”

(Oxford English Dictionary, 2017) You can donate money directly to a charity, or you can donate clothes, food and other items that a charity may need. For example, 1625ip accepts ‘Indykits’ which includes everything a young person may need for a new start, like plates, mugs, towels and pans.

TASK 1

SCHOOLS SLEEPOUT CHECKLIST DATE OF SLEEPOUT

Fridays are good because you’ve got the weekend to recover!

TIME OF SLEEPOUT

Most SleepOuts happen from 6pm – 6am.

VENUE OF SLEEPOUT

It could be outside in a car park or inside in a sports hall.

PERMISSION SLIPS / EMERGENCY CONTACT DETAILS

Ensure a letter is sent to pupils and parents to let them know what is occuring, ensuring safety and asking for helpers. Ensure emergency contact details are inputted.

CAMERA

Ensure all pupils have the correct permissions to take pictures.

CHECK VENUE SECURITY / RISK ASSESSMENT

Ensure the venue is secure and that only your pupils and staff have access to it.

ACCESS TO TOILETS

Ensure access throughout the night.

FOOD & DRINK

Think about hot food and drinks for the pupils and staff. Simple tomato soup and bread keeps the event a true likeness to sleeping

ENTERTAINMENT

Arrange board games/DVDs to show/a quiz/ competitions etc.

CARDBOARD

For the pupils to make their ‘home’ for the night.

(Optional)

CLEANING

Bin liners, etc.

SPONSOR FORMS

1625ip can provide these. Please send a copy of your school logo to the contact info below.

CERTIFICATES OF ACHIEVEMENT

A sample Certificate of Achievement is enclosed to be photocopied.

EVENT SUPPORT

Other teachers/parents that are willing to help at the SleepOut. This could be helping with drinks and food, entertainment, cleaning up, help making cardboard ‘beds’, etc.

SCHOOLS SLEEPOUT CONSENT LETTER As I’m sure you are aware your child has recently been learning about preventing youth homelessness in the South West with 1625 Independent People.

After a long discussion we have decided to host our own SleepOut here at school! This means that the children will be sleeping all night in the school grounds under strict supervision, and getting a realistic feel for what it’s like to be ‘street’ homeless for one night whilst raising sponsorship money for 1625ip.

The SleepOut will be taking place at Date We ask all children to arrive at We ask all children to be picked up the following morning at We ask all participating children to bring with them: comfortable warm clothing, a sleeping bag or blanket, 1 x pillow, water, snacks and any medication that may be needed. We also ask that all children eat before coming along to enjoy the SleepOut. Please find a permission slip below.

Please ensure we have it back by We hope that your child is able to make the SleepOut as it will be a great educational evening for all. We will provide games and entertainment in a safe, secure, controlled environment.

If you have any questions, concerns or would like to help out on the night please contact: on To find out more information about 1625 Independent People, please visit their website: www.1625ip.org.uk.

Thank you.

Teacher’s name/signature

PERMISSION SLIP Child’s name Your name Relation to child Please sign Date

special thanks 1625 Independent People is fortunate to partner with other fantastic agencies who work hard to tackle disadvantage and homelessness. We would like to say a particular thank you to St Basils who generously shared their school pack and permitted us to use as to make our own.

Thank you to all the education professionals who advised on the making of the pack.

Design by Fran Bainbridge, 2019.

contact For more information about 1625, you can visit our website or contact us through the following information:

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fundraising@1625ip.co.uk

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0117 317 8800

www.1625ip.co.uk

1625 INDEPENDENT PEOPLE