NEWS

Shaidy Characters get runner up award

The Michael Whipman award winner was announced last week. Shaidy Characters from Derwentside were runners up - recognition that their excellent young volunteers are among the leading service user involvement initiatives in the country. Read more here

Prevention of evictions protocol goes live

Newcastle's Protcol on Preventing Evictions came into force in July. This is a partnership between the City Council and Your Homes Newcastle. The protocol aims to prevent evictions of vulnerable people. Read it here or to get more information contact Neil Munslow.

Employability seminars on their way to region

Emplyability Seminars, by Off the Streets and into Work, get homeless agencies, local authorities, LSCs and Job Centre+ together. We will host seminars in Newcastle and Teeside in September. In the meantime read OSW's report about employment for homeless people with health conditions.

Youth Homelessness Network

On September 1st Homeless Link will host the first regional Youth Homelessness Network, and we want you to get involved. But in the meantime find out about some youth homelessnes agencies in the region: Community Campus; INLINE; NIN; Sunderland YMCA; Shaid.

Open invite - got some arts work to show?

On October 25th Homeless Link will run an arts & homelessness conference at the SAGE. Do you have some work to display? Do you have a performance to showcase? Let us know: ben.dickenson@homelesslink.org.uk.

Recent homelessness figures

Statutory homelessness: 1st quarter 2006, England.

New qualifications for the homeless sector DCLG and LSC are launching qualifications developed through a Homeless Sector Pilot. These are: Certificate in Self Development through Learning (Learning Power Award) for clients; and Certificate in Supporting the Development Needs of Homeless and Vulnerable Adults for staff.

IN THE MEDIA

• The BBC has announced a new drama to be screened on the anniversary of the seminal 1966 film Cathy Come Home. The new programme will be set in a homeless hostel, and will star a host of stars in a modern look at homelessness.

• A homeless woman gets a book deal after her the success of her popular internet blog on living in her car. Read about it here.

• Read the Guardian article explaining how antisocial tenants could lose housing benefits, and outlining how "problem families" will be forced to have help with their behaviour.

• Empty Homes Agency supports new local authority powers on empty homes. Read the press release.

POLICY, PRACTICE AND RESEARCH

40 years since Cathy Come Home - how policy has changed Cathy Come Home: Now and Then - is a useful review of developments in homelessness policy since 1966, which you can find on the Department for Communities and Local Government website.

New policies for working with A8 nationals Lemos and Crane researchers have developed a policy for service delivery for homeless agencies working with eastern Europeans. This has become a key issue in London, and the new policy has been developed with an agency called Broadway. In the North East the BBC estimate there are 1500 eastern European construction workers, who may need housing support in the future.

Housing Corporation research on prevention Homelessness prevention and Housing Associations-Contributing to efficiency. Follow the link for this document from the Housing Corporation.

Shelter investigates exclusions

Read Shelter's report examining the reasons people in Tyne and Wear are excluded from social rented housing.

Other policy themes

• Joint Homeless Link and OSW response to welfare reform consultation - Response to DWP Green paper

• The Respect Standard for Housing Management - ODPM Consultation Paper

• Homeless Link has prepared a briefing paper on prevention: Prevention - read the Homeless Link briefing

RESOURCES

• Shelter Housing Act website - New website for housing professionals.

• Performance Hub action research on strategic planning - Free consultancy support for small organisation.

• Newcasle Homeless Liaison Project - details of all accomodation and services in the city.

FUNDING & AWARDS

• Health and social care awards - Nominate a colleague or apply by 31 August.

• Guardian Charity Awards - Open to UK social welfare charities. Closing 8 September.

• Abbey National Charitable Trust - Funds education/training, regeneration, financial advice for disadvantaged people.

• Big Lottery Fund Advice Plus Programme, aiming to ensure that more people who need advice have access to good advice services wherever they live in England. The Advice Plus programme will fund projects that benefit the people who need advice and the organisations that provide it.

• Changing Lives Award - Up to £2000 to solitary people who have been homeless. Deadline 14 July.

• Refugee Integration Challenge Fund - Funding for projects addressing specific social needs amongst refugee communities.

• Connecting Community Plus Grants programme to increase race equality and community cohesion.

DIARY DATES

Homeless Link Training

• 13-14 July - Developing an effective resettlement strategy - Resettlement for managers (Two Days)

Contact Johanna Taylor 020 7960 3030

Fourms and events

• Housing Action North East (HANE) - July 20th, Ushaw College, Durham.
• Substance Misuse Housing Panel - Thursday 20th July, 2pm. Contact deborah.legg@northtyneside.gov.uk
• Having a voice: effective approaches to service user involvement - 26 July, SITRA event

JOBS

Job opportunities. Full details on Homeless Link's job pages

For Homeless Link national news and updates see http://www.homeless.org.uk