Presentation given by Joanne Bretherton and Nicholas Pleace, UK at the Ninth European Research Conference on Homelessness, "Homelessness in Times of Crisis", Warsaw, September 2014
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Innovation in Social Integration: Social Enterprise, Social Integration and Education Services for Homeless People, Lessons from the UK
1. 9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Innovation in Social Integration Social Integration for homeless people, lessons from Britain
Joanne Bretherton
Nicholas Pleace
Centre for Housing Policy
2. 9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Introduction
The British context and development of services focused on social integration.
The research
Time Banking
Crisis Skylight
Conclusions
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
The British Context
Successes in housing sustainment
But concerns that economic and social marginalisation persists beyond homelessness
Policy agendas to end poverty and marginalisation through paid work
Welfare reforms
Emphasis on ending poverty through paid work
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Key Aspects
Humanitarian
Stigmatisation
Social support
Economic inclusion
Practical
Health and well-being
Housing sustainment
Political
Social cohesion
Cost benefits
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
The Research
Three and half year longitudinal action research project on the Broadway Time Banking scheme across London.
Longitudinal evaluation of the Crisis Skylight programme, tracking 135 people over three years across six sites in London, Oxford, Newcastle, Merseyside, Birmingham and Edinburgh.
Mixed methods research.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Time Banking: The Model
Community-led innovation using time as
currency.
Reciprocal service exchange. One hour of
time given earns an hour of time credit to
use on something else. Credits could be
‘banked’ and used later.
An hour’s worth of a person’s labour =
a ‘Time Dollar’ in the US and
a ‘Time Credit’ in Britain
Began in Japan in the 1950’s and later
developed in the US. Now present in over
forty countries across six continents.
Using often untapped skills, ranging from
manual work to gardening, hairdressing or
language teaching. Any ‘skill’ can be utilised.
Time Banks can value work which is
normally unrewarded and value
contributions from people marginalised from
the conventional economy.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Time Banking: Core Principles
At the heart of Time Banking lies the ethos of:
Recognising, drawing upon and rewarding people’s full potential to enhance communities and organisations.
Redefining work by creating a currency that pays people for helping each other and creating a better place in which to live.
Using mutual exchange to improve relationships and trust with others.
Increasing social capital through participation in community networks to give more meaning to people’s lives.
8. 9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Time Banking for homeless people
Considerable research demonstrated difficulties for homeless people accessing education, training and employment.
Lack of accommodation / no permanent address
Lack of certainty / security
Low confidence and self-esteem
Low educational attainment, training and or experience
Poor knowledge and access to employment opportunities
Employer attitudes
Complex needs that require support – difficulty in structuring time, interpersonal skills.
Time Banks however focus on skills and potential rather than deficits or support needs only.
9. 9th European Research Conference
Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Time Banking for homeless people
Time Banks can address the needs of homeless people.
A lack of empirical evidence on potential benefits of Time Banking but some research suggests it can increase self esteem, develop (sometimes unknown) skills and increase networks and community involvement.
Been used in a variety of settings including services for young and older people, housing and criminal justice. Often attracting socially excluded groups who would not usually participate in traditional volunteering.
Gives responsibility to those that have previously been considered or made to feel that they are ‘the problem’.
Time Banks strive to make people feel useful in utilising whatever skill or service they can offer.
These skills can be fine-tuned and even lead to employment or self- employment.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Time Banking at Broadway
Started operating in 2010 and was the first attempt to bring Time Banking to the homelessness sector.
It addressed the policy imperative in Britain to secure access to paid work for homeless people and received high level interest from central Government.
Its aims were to increase:
employability though skills development, work experience and increased confidence and self-esteem;
economic independence by supporting participants into employment or self- employment;
positive involvement in the local community through Time Bank activity.
Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister) and Ian Duncan Smith (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) at the Broadway Time Bank at the start of the research in 2010.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Time Banking at Broadway: Demographics
Other
Asian British
Mixed
Black British
White
2
10
28
89
175
0
4
11
35
58
Time Bankers
Men
Women
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Time Banking Activity
Over 400 Time Banking clients logged in 2010-2013.
Eighty-eight DIFFERENT types of activity undertaken ranging from working on reception as part of a work and learning activity, through to gardening, cooking, IT training or arts-based activities.
From available data: 2,334 Time Banking activities were recorded and 6,619 hours spent.
Time Banking had flexibility and could be used to facilitate bespoke activities for individual Broadway clients, enabling lone individuals to use their time credits or offer their time in areas as diverse as poetry, learning Spanish, or teaching others how to play chess.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Time Banking Activity
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Outcomes of Time Banking
Clear evidence that Time Banking had successfully engaged with homeless people who were distant from formal work and learning.
Engagement with positive, meaningful activity, up to and including formal education, training, volunteering or work placements that could, in some cases, lead directly to paid work.
These people were exposed to opportunities that helped them back towards social and economic inclusion.
Time Banking is unique by rewarding people with credits that could be spent later. Tangible benefits.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Outcomes of Time Banking
Structure and Meaningful Activity:
It gives me purpose…It normalises your life. (Client, Year 2)
This gave me some structure and reason to get out of bed in the morning. (Client, Year 2)
Boredom and Isolation:
I didn’t particularly go into it thinking ‘oh I’ll get something out of this’, I did
it because I needed to use my time usefully ‘cos I had problems with addictions
and stuff like that… (Client, Year 3)
Self Confidence:
One lady who never comes out of her room as she’s quite vulnerable, always comes to the art group. You can’t get more positive than that. (Client, Year 2)
I think that it does make people…stop and realise that you do have skills to offer and that by exercising them you can develop them into something else…I think it makes
you realise that you are employable. (Client, Year 3)
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Employment & Training Outcomes 2012/13
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Wider Outcomes of Time Banking
Wider social cohesion
Engagement with professionals, businesses and other Time Banks
It makes people feel good, it makes people feel really good about giving something back, I think that’s the most important thing. People are engaged in their community, they are donating their time for other people, that’s very important. And such a huge thing for someone who has spent so long being ostracised and isolated from mainstream society, its huge, that does really feed self-confidence, that they can be part of mainstream society… (Stakeholder, Year 2)
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Time Banking: Limits
Lack of engagement
Not a universal success
Problems with Information
Some felt that they did not really understand what Time Banking was or what activities were available to them.
Difficulties in spending accrued credits
Lack of suitable options to spend their ‘earned’ Time credits
Activities too far away
Concerns about exploitation
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Replication
From the outset in 2010 Broadway sought to develop a Time Bank for homeless people that could be replicated across other homelessness services.
Key strength of Broadway’s approach was the success in engaging a large number of people with diverse needs. Flexibility of the model was a key component.
At the point of completing the research, Broadway had a dedicated member of staff providing support and advice to agencies who were interested in developing a Time Bank for homeless people.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Skylight: The Model
Designed specifically to advance the social integration of homeless people referred to as ‘progression’ towards ‘transformed’ lives
Arts-based activities
Performance (music, theatre, opera, dance)
Creative (writing, poetry, drawing, painting, textiles, ceramics)
Accredited learning, basic skills
Computing
English
Maths
Smartskills tutors, work and learning coaches
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Crisis Skylight: The Model
Support with job seeking
Preparation of CV / résumé
Help with job searching
Individual support from work and learning and employment workers
Self employment support
Skylight cafes – social enterprises offering training (3 sites)
Support with practical needs
Progression coaches and/or work and learning coaches
Mental Health Coordinators (not all services in 2012/13)
Housing Coaches (not all services in 2012/13)
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Crisis Skylight: The Model
Changing lives grants
Up to £3,000 (15,797 PLN, €3,775, $4,877)
To support moving into self-employment
For further and advanced education
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Crisis Skylight: The Model
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Crisis Skylight: Philosophy
Personalisation or client-led approach
Workers and currently and formerly homeless people work jointly to move towards a set of goals the homeless person determines
Very different from British Government “Get any job now or face severe welfare sanctions” policy – The Work Programme - although that policy has been moderated in relation to long-term homeless people, to allow them more time
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Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Crisis Skylight Delivery
Can be building based, with dedicated classrooms, spaces for performance and art, London, Oxford, Newcastle
Or Outreach, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Merseyside (Liverpool), services are taken into shelters, hostels, supported single site communal/congregate housing and daycentres
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Crisis Skylight
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Crisis Skylight
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Activity 2012/13
10,256 people, either homeless, formerly homeless or at risk used Skylight services
37% of activity in London
33% women
Ethnic diversity greatest in London
25% No educational qualifications
60% homeless at first contact
30% history of mental health problems
27% history of problematic drug/alcohol use
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Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Activity 2012/13
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Contacts
Type of activity One session Two to four sessions Five or more sessions Total Education, training and job seeking 39% 33% 28% 100% Arts based activities 38% 37% 26% 100% Health and well being 43% 35% 22% 100% Participation and involvement 89% 9% 3% 100% Other 40% 42% 18% 100% All activities 42% 33% 25% 100%
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Outcomes 2012/13
Skylight Area of Improvement Housing Mental health Took up external education/ training Got paid work Volunteered Exam passes and certifications All positive outcomes Edinburgh 20 0 5 30 12 41 108 Birmingham 26 8 267 105 90 893 1,341 London 379 113 507 439 315 1,410 3,163 Merseyside 23 1 119 65 77 175 460 Newcastle 115 41 113 98 51 1,038 1,456 Oxford 117 75 180 115 158 347 992 All Skylights 680 238 1,191 852 703 3,904 7,520
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Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Direction and meaning
Crisis have been fantastic in my life. I probably could not have done it without them because I probably would have wasted another year feeling sorry for myself, thinking I wasn’t going to get into college.
It is something to do as well. Something to get up out of bed in the morning for. Look forward too. Instead of just lazing about, oh I’ll go to the pub, have a couple of beers kind of thing, you come in here, you learn something…I can brush up on me maths skills, there’s plenty of computer qualifications I can get.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Understanding and respect
I like the way they don’t treat you like a little kid or something, they treat you like an adult. And you can have like a decent conversation. They don’t treat you any different. Like some people treat people who’ve been like homeless, like different, they look down and Crisis don’t.
They are so respectful. They are not condescending, I find that irritating and they are not. They are real. They’ve all got a lot of life experience, but they’re very professional with it. They’re great. They’re friendly as well, but the boundaries are set. Can’t fault them.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
‘Progression’ and ‘transformation’
I can’t praise them enough, what they’ve done for me…they’ve made me feel different, made me more confident in myself, they brought me out of my shell, like I say before I was a recluse I wouldn’t speak to no- one, but they gave me confidence to do things.
I suppose I’ve had a voice. When you’ve been homeless and addicted and things like that, you sort of lose your voice. And, I believe Crisis has given me that voice back to feel like I’m worthy, I’m not just a ‘homeless drug addict’, you know ‘cos that is what a lot of people label me as, I’m actually a person in my own right.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Crisis Skylight: Limits
Attrition after initial contacts is significant
Progress can be slow
Economic environment and negative attitudes of some employers remain
Are limits in how far some can progress towards paid work
Year one results, more to come
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Conclusions
Both studies indicate that personalisation (client-led), respectful, flexible services can deliver social integration
Potentially fractures some assumptions about the nature of single or lone homelessness. Homeless people actively pursue a normal life when given choice and resources to do so, they do not always need to be “re-programmed” to be “non-homeless” in behaviour or outlook.
Important not to confuse what homelessness can do to someone’s self-esteem, social supports and social integration with that person’s character or what they want from life.
A caveat is that not all actually engaged with these services.
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Conclusions
Humanitarian
Clear evidence of increased self-esteem
Sense of purpose, direction and potential regained or reasserted
Reduction in sense of stigmatisation
Practical
Reductions in known risks associated with homelessness
Gains in health and well-being
Education, Training, Employment, self employment
Political
Delivering social integration, increased economic activity and general social cohesion, reductions in welfare spending
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Conclusions
These services represent progress in increasing social integration of homeless people.
People had moved into paid work, set up their own businesses, engaged in training, volunteering and further education.
But there are limits, homeless people did not always engage with Skylight for long, issues with spending Time Credits for Time Banking.
Individual needs, characteristics and experiences may take some time to overcome and for some, at least, eventual progress may fall short of paid work.
But there is still evidence of generally beneficial effects around esteem, activity and sense of purpose.
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Reports
www.york.ac.uk/chp/
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Homelessness in Times of Crisis
Warsaw, Friday 19th September 2014
Thanks for Listening
Joanne.Bretherton@york.ac.uk
Nicholas.Pleace@york.ac.uk
www.york.ac.uk/chp/
www.womenshomelessness.org