In this issue
Why Housing Matters
Timeline of Events
Our Survey
What You Told Us
What Families Told Us
Our Recommendations
Get in Touch
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Welcome to this special edition of URSPACE which is all about our Housing Report!
For the past few months we have been speaking to you, your families, our Youth Inspire Group members and includem workers to find out more about how easy or difficult it is to get housing in Scotland at the moment.
We wanted to know why good housing matters and what supports you need to get housing, and manage your housing once you’re in.
It will be no surprise to you that young people face different challenges from families. This is especially true for care experienced young people.
For us it’s important that the Scottish Government and Local Authorities to hear you, and make changes that will improve your experiences of housing. To do this we will share the report far and wide and invite people like the Cabinet Secretary for Housing to meet with us and talk about solutions.
I want to thank you for taking the time to tell us about your experiences, and for being open and honest about the challenges you face. Your voice matters and we will continue to do our best to amplify it!
Lisa Weylandt Policy & Public Affairs Officer
Scotland is currently in the midst of a housing crisis!
This is acknowledged by the Scottish Government, and most local authorities in Scotland, and has long since been felt by young people and families trying to access safe, suitable, affordable and sustainable housing.
Last year, Scotland incorporated The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into law.
The UNCRC makes it clear that access to housing is a fundamental right children have.
Despite this, too many of Scotland’s children are homeless, living in temporary accommodation, or living in accommodation that is unsuitable for them and their family.
Over the past few years, we have noticed an increase in the number of housing issues when young people and families have been referred to includem or when we first visit them in their homes.
With the issue on the rise and the knowledge that good housing is imperative for good family health and wellbeing and relationships, prompted us to engage with those we support, and to explore some of the work includem colleagues are doing to support families.
GOOD HOUSING IS ESSENTIAL FOR: OUR WELL-BEING
EDUCATION
Timeline of Events Timeline of Events
Housing Emergency
On the 15 May 2024 after a debate in the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Government declared a national housing emergency. th
Some local authorities also declared a housing emergency. There is no agreed definition of what a housing emergency is but broadly it means that there are not enough houses to meet the needs of families and young people in Scotland.
Housing Report
Transforming Lives Whole Family Support campaign started by exploring Housing. We wanted to understand you and your family’s experiences of housing.
In May, we met with includem workers and includem’s Youth Inspire Group to better understand what issues families and young people are facing when they try to get housing and what difference support from includem makes.
In June we launched our Housing Survey for young people and families to complete. From all of this research, we have launched our new Housing Report which talks about what we learnt and makes recommendations for change. A copy of this report has been sent to the new Cabinet Secretary for Housing.
Transforming
In 2024, we also launched our first campaign - Transforming Lives,which highlighted our work and your experiences of children’s rights, education, mental health, youth justice and poverty.
Everyday, includem delivers Whole Family Support - making sure the whole family feels supported in their journey with us.
This year we launched Transforming Lives Whole Family Support focused on three key themes that includem workers support you with - housing, education and youth justice.
New Cab Sec
At the same time as we launched our housing survey, the First Minister, John Swinney MSP, appointed Màiri McAllan MSP (pictured) as the new Cabinet Secretary for Housing. You can read more about the new Cabinet Secretary’s work and plans in URSPACE Issue 5.
What You Told Us
Our survey asked young people and families to consider the following questions and to share their experiences on:
What kind of Housing do you live in?
How do you feel about where you live now?
What does having a stable home mean to you?
When you’ve needed somewhere to live, has it been easy or hard to find housing?
Have you ever needed help to find somewhere safe to stay? What happened?
What are the biggest problems young people and families face when it comes to housing?
If you were in charge, what would you change about housing in Scotland
What advice would you give to services or the government to make things better for young people and families who need housing?
40% 40% told us they had a negative feeling about where they currently live.
64% 64% told us that it had been hard to find somewhere to live.
58% 58% told us they had needed help to find somewhere to live.
34% 34% told us that being safe and secure was what a stable home meant to them.
22% 22% told us that availability of housing was the biggest problem facing young people.
20% 20% told us the one thing they wanted to see change about housing was to be listened to more.
As part of our research into the challenges facing young people and families we met with Pineview Housing Association who are based in Drumchapel, Glasgow.
We wanted to get a better understanding of how they are supporting their tenants to access housing, and maintaining their properties.
During our discussion we shared some of the frustrations that families and young people we support had expressed regarding the availability and quality of housing.
We also highlighted that poverty is significantly challenging families across all aspects of their life and is will only get worse.
As part of our discussions, we spoke about the frequency of reports of damp and mould that are impacting families’ health, comfort, and also stability. In our work with families, we have seen first hand the detrimental effect that damp and mould have on the health of babies and very young children.
Overcrowding also plays a part in this as families are occupying spaces that are insufficiently ventilated and heated for the number of people in the home.
What does Pineview Housing Association Do?
Pineview recognises the challenges facing families and the complexity of the system families and young people are required to navigate everyday to make ends meet.
To support their tenants, Pineview facilitates twice weekly sessions with Citizens Advice Bureau for tenants to access information and advice about their income, and their rights.
Providing this support in-house means tenants get early access to help, ahead of reaching crisis point, and can be reassured that the information they are receiving is independent, up-to-date, and accessible.
Pineview Housing Association is also committed to meeting with tenants face to face as much as possible to facilitate good relationships and ensure tenants feel able to reach out when they are in need of additional support.
Immediately we want to see...
We also want to see...,
And in the long term...
OUR NEXT TOPIC IS
EDUCATION
We will be exploring the issue of exclusions, the use of part-time timetable and more.
If you have a story to share or would like to tell us your education experiences let your worker know to tell Martyn & Lisa!
