Shelter Dorset to launch project at The Bourne Academy
FAMILIES and young people at risk of homelessness in Bournemouth will soon be supported by a housing rights worker based directly in a school.
Shelter Dorset is launching a new initiative at The Bourne Academy in partnership with the Homewards BCP Coalition, thanks to seed funding from Prince William’s charity Homewards.
The project will place a housing specialist inside the school to offer early advice and support to pupils and families facing issues such as overcrowding, poor conditions or the threat of eviction.
Shelter Dorset is launching a new initiative at The Bourne Academy in partnership with the Homewards BCP Coalition, thanks to seed funding from Prince William’s charity Homewards.
The project will place a housing specialist inside the school to offer early advice and support to pupils and families facing issues such as overcrowding, poor conditions or the threat of eviction.
The idea was born out of the Homewards BCP Coalition, which is a partnership between BCP Council, Shelter, local schools, and other organisations and aims to tackle hidden homelessness among families who may not show up in traditional support services.
The Bourne Academy has played a key role in shaping the project. Staff and pupils will work closely with the housing rights worker from the start of the academic year in September.
Mark Avoth, Principal at The Bourne Academy: “Since the launch of the BCP Homewards Coalition, we have felt a natural synergy with the Targeted Prevention Priority area.#
"This early-stage prevention focuses on high-risk groups including vulnerable young people and the launch allowed us to network with some key local stakeholders like Shelter.
"Shelter have already supported The Bourne Academy pastoral team by providing them with lived experience information to understand the issues faced by those who are in temporary accommodation, and we are really looking forward to developing student and family centred materials which will be scalable and shared amongst the education community of BCP.
"Furthermore, the shared appointment of a Housing Rights Worker will benefit numerous local families. Together, we have a genuine opportunity to end homelessness or make it rare, brief or unrepeated.”
Shelter Dorset also plans to deliver life skills workshops to sixth formers, covering topics such as tenancies, housing rights and basic DIY as part of a wider aim to prepare young people for future independence.
Bournemouth University will evaluate the project to determine whether the model could be rolled out to other schools across the area.
Catherine added: “This is about testing what works.
“If we can prove it makes a difference, we want to roll it out more widely even if it’s not a full-time worker in every school, we’ll know how to build those links.”
Shelter continues to call for more social housing nationally, saying a long-term solution must tackle the root causes of the housing crisis.