Rising numbers of young homeless in Bristol

It is estimated that nearly 500 young people are homeless in the South West, but the real figure is expected to be much higher.

Centrepoint claims as many as 80,000 young people a year experience homelessness in the UK – many are unrecorded because the young people ‘sofa surf’, staying in temporary or unsafe accommodation.

According to Citizens Advice young people have been hit particularly hard by the recession, especially finding a job at the early stages of their career.

During Homelessness Awareness Week, Bristol24/7 are featuring the stories of people who have found themselves homeless in Bristol.

They have each have a very different story to tell, but their message is clear homelessness could happen to anyone, at any time.

20-year-old Nicole Stanbridge found herself homeless after a dispute with her landlady. She was helped to find emergency accommodation until she could find a flat of her own.

“In September last year I moved in with a lady to help her pay her rent. Unfortunately she kicked me out and I didn’t have a leg to stand on because we didn’t have a written contract.

I was wandering round the streets when I noticed 16-25 Independent People and I simply asked them to help me because I’d become homeless. They told me because I didn’t have drug, alcohol or mental health problems I wasn’t vulnerable enough to get emergency housing which upset me because obviously I was homeless – how was I not vulnerable?

However, they did put me through to Nightstop. They helped me find somewhere to stay for a couple of nights, my boyfriend and his family put me up whenever they could. It didn’t hit me as much as it probably hits quite a few people, but my boyfriend didn’t want to admit that I was homeless. He kept trying to say it will be fine.

I thought there is no point being upset about something which has already happened. I need to stay strong and stay on my own two feet, I had my boyfriend and charities helping me as much as they could so, as much as homelessness is a bad thing, I’m sort of grateful for where I have come now.

I managed to get myself a job and then a flat and stand on my own two feet again.

I was shocked how easy it was to become homeless. Obviously you get quite a few people saying ‘It will never happen to me’ and ‘I’m not one of those people’ but anything can happen.

For the people who sit there and say ‘It will never happen to me’ you need to wake up because it can happen to anybody. People never thought it would happen to me, then when they found out I was homeless they were really shocked because I paid rent.

It’s just shocking how easily it could happen but, if you take the right steps straight away before you become homeless or the day you become homeless, go and get help because there are plenty of people out there who can help you.

When I see people on the street wrapped in a duvet not knowing the help that’s out there it does upset me as that could have been me.  I think people should be more aware and instead thinking homeless people deserve it or they have done it themselves, they should do a nice act – buy them a cup of coffee or talk to them rather than just walking past and giving them a filthy look.

I’m not saying it will never happen again because nobody ever knows that, but I will do everything in my power to stop it happening again.”

To find out more about the awareness week and the range of services available to help those who find themselves at risk, visit www.bristol.gov.uk/homelessweek

Bristol Nightstop provides free help and advice to young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless or staying in unsafe places. They arrange temporary and emergency accommodation for 18-25 year olds in the homes of trained and vetted volunteers. Their accommodation service is available seven days a week and referral hours are 10am- 4.30pm Mon- Fri.

Homeless Awareness Week will culminate in the annual sponsored Sleep Out, which is being organised by the BCAN Homeless Forum

To report someone sleeping rough in Bristol you can use Streetlink. StreetLink is England’s only phone-line, website and mobile app that allows members of the public to send an alert when they see someone sleeping rough and connect them to local services. Call 0300 500 0914 or visit www.streetlink.org.uk

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