Young Homeless people and the Keys to Successful Resettlement

Resettlement support has been increasingly recognised as a key factor in overcoming homelessness. Research carried out in a hostel for single homeless young people, found that there were a number of critical factors which lead to successful resettlement of young homeless people. Young people were able to move into tenancies in the social rented sector with suitable resettlement support, notably the help of a resettlement support worker. This paper argues that the role of social housing providers was also key to this resettlement process. Young people needed to be allocated move on accommodation at a critically timed point in the resettlement process when motivation and key skills had been achieved. Lack of immediate access to social rented tenancies resulted in a lengthened stay in the hostel where young people risked becoming part of a “hostel community” or subculture. Social housing providers also had a further important role in facilitating the resettlement process by providing supported housing. Specialised housing schemes represented resettlement from the hostel sector for those young people unable to take an independent tenancy. Successful resettlement was the result of positive working relationships between social housing providers, resettlement and hostel staff and motivation of the young person to move on from the hostel. Without these key factors, resettlement was less likely to succeed