News
Moving Towards Independence is a joint project between Step by Step and the Centre for Homelessness Research and Practice (CHRP), based at the University of Southampton.
The project aims to provide a space for young people in Supported Lodgings to share their experiences of moving towards independent living. These experiences will be used to create recommendations for improved policies and mechanisms to support young people at a pivotal point in their lives.
Care leavers are at a higher risk of experiencing homelessness than their peers. Research by Centrepoint indicates that 40% of care leavers experience homelessness. Some young people describe leaving care as stepping over a cliff edge, identifying the practical and emotional challenges they encounter when transitioning over-night into independent living.
“We believe it’s imperative that young people are involved in the decisions that affect their future,” says Dr Becky Ward, Research Fellow at the University of Southampton. “The Moving Towards Independence project aims to inform decision-makers of the first-hand experiences of young people leaving Supported Lodgings, with a view to influencing policy making. We identified Step by Step as the perfect organisation to work with in conducting this research.”
Dr Ward and her colleagues will liaise with the young people involved in Step by Step’s Speak Out! forum to learn about their stories, views, concerns and ideas. The project culminates in an event on 24th July that will bring together key decision-makers and young people to discuss these findings and together find a way forward.
“It’s really exciting for Step by Step to be involved in this project with CHRP,” says Kelly Headen, Head of Fostering and Supported Lodgings. “Our Speak Out! forum was set up to hear directly from young people and put their voices at the centre of our strategy. This project will effectively amplify those voices, giving them the chance to influence policy makers and impact the experiences of other young people facing similar challenges in the future.”
Step by Step’s Supported Lodgings has become the first service of its kind to achieve Ofsted accreditation. We are now the largest Supported Lodgings provider in the UK, as well as being considered the authority in the field.
