Communities and Local Government has launched a new web-based compendium of advice, case studies and useful downloadable documents relating to all aspects of preventing and tackling youth homelessness.

Intended for reference and use primarily by local authorities with responsibility for reducing homelessness and the use of temporary accommodation for young people, the site is likely also to be interesting to third sector providers and advice agencies working with young people, social work and education teams in Children’s Services and primary healthcare providers.

In its present form, the site is the product of six months’ work by a consortium of leading agencies who work with young people, together with local authorities who are demonstrably making headway in preventing and tackling youth homelessness. In the next six months we hope to make the site more comprehensive by:

• adding case studies and associated documents which showcase approaches which are different from those already on the site and which are equally effective and transferable to other local authorities or regions
• expanding and consolidating the links to relevant sources of advice, news and parallel initiatives initiated by other agencies and government departments
• expanding the information and news from Regional Centres of Excellence for Youth Homelessness.

They would like to hear from you if you have something to contribute to any of these programmes of site development. Email Johanna Holmes at Centrepoint: jholmes@centrepoint.org; or Jo Gunner at YMCA England: jo.gunner@england.ymca.org.uk

If you are interested in getting involved in any of the knowledge-sharing activities led by the Regional Centres of Excellence for Youth Homelessness, please do not hesitate to contact them through the website on the link above.