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INLINE Newcastle
INLINE (Independent Living Newcastle) is a support service offered to young people aged 16 to 25 years old but mainly supporting those who are 16 -21 years. INLINE is managed by Your Homes Newcastle (YHN) - an Arms Length Management Organization which manages all the housing stock for Newcastle city Council.
Project Manager Kim McMaster tells how volunteers contribute to INLLINE
There are four aspects of the service;
- Homeless prevention and mediation for under 18 year olds.
- Floating Support for young people in YHN tenancies
- Youth Voice – a participation group of young people who speak to decision makers about the systems which impact on their lives
- An accreditation/education/ volunteer Programme which encourages both INLINE tenants and community volunteers to get involved through accrediting their life skills through the Open College Network and providing volunteer opportunities within the project.
I find there are many benefits of having volunteers involved with INLINE that are too numerous to list but the main advantage is that we have changed our way of working with young people so that we are not doing things for them but actively encouraging them to take responsibility for themselves. This not only aids the young peoples personal development by raising their self esteem and feeling they can contribute but provides us with a group of young people who can be consulted on all aspects of the service. This has included work with young people to develop new services from their prospective such as 2 Peer Education Programmes on 'Prevention of Homelessness' and 'Prevention of Teenage Pregnancy'. This has allowed the programmes to be developed in the way that young people would like to receive the information so are much more user friendly than we could have provided alone.
Jade’s story
A young person involved with the Youth Voice group has taken a lead in developing the “Teenage Parent Peer Education Programme” and also the "Youth Homeless Forum".
This has given her experience in working with both Professionals and service users from various agencies across Newcastle.
This has resulted in a paid work placement at the Inline Project.
This young person is now applying to University to complete a Social Work degree.
She has also completed a range of units through the Accreditation Programme including “Improving Confidence” and “Evaluation of Learning”.
She will be able to use her certificates as part of her University application.
If you need any further information please contact Kim McMaster:
Direct Line 0191 2771189; Mobile 07792016490; Fax 0191 2771198
kim.mcmaster@yhn.org.uk Website www.yhn.org.uk
Your Homes Newcastle, INLINE Team, Housing Division, Gosforth Housing Office, High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE3 1JL