Missed opportunities: The Case for Investment in Learning and Skills for Homeless People
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Transcript of Missed opportunities: The Case for Investment in Learning and Skills for Homeless People
Missed opportunities:The Case for Investment in Learning and Skills for Homeless People
Missed opportunities:The Case for Investment in Learning and Skills for Homeless People
Jane Luby, 13 July 2006
Research brief and method
To explore the policy and economic case for learning and skills provision
Focus on single homeless people Learning and skills development:
Accredited (formal) learning Life skills: budgeting, communication skills, anger management Informal learning opportunities Preparation for work
Review of: Government strategies; research on benefits of learning; homelessness research
Interviews with homeless people, funders, policy makers, learning providers
Some facts and figures
Attitudes to and experience of learning: 4 x more likely to have no qualifications 6 x more likely to have problems reading and writing More than half want to learn Less than 1/5 engaged in learning
Attitudes to and experience of work: 97% want to work, ¾ want to work now Most have worked in the past Less than 2% of homeless people are in full-time work 12% are in part-time work
Impact on homelessness
Homeless people are intensive users of public services High incidence of repeat homelessness Gov recognises need for holistic packages of support Poor life skills, loneliness and lack of confidence all
contribute to continued homelessness L&S increases confidence, improves life skills, widens
social networks Helps to address mental health needs, substance
misuse and offending
Wider Policy Benefits
Delivers value for money to Skills Agenda plus reduction in inequality and wider social benefits
Supports transition from Welfare to Work for group with highest level of worklessness
Supports Substance Misuse treatment outcomes for the 50-75% with problematic substance misuse
Reduces offending: 40% of homeless people at risk of serial, low level crime
Improves health for 70% with mental ill-health and 50% with physical illness or disability
Builds stronger, safer communities by reducing crime, anti-social behaviour and improving civic participation
Benefits through costs avoided
Homeless people can cost up to £50,000 per year £15,000 for support/benefits whilst in hostel £2,000 per tenancy breakdown £14,000 per residential substance misuse treatment £126,000 cost of re-offending Cost of £206 per ASB incident 11x more likely to use acute mental health services at
£6,000 per episode 4 x more likely to be admitted to hospital at £2,500 per
admission
Personal Barriers
Loss of dignity/confidence Poor social skills Negative past experiences/peer influences Fears of failure Multiple needs = need for flexible & holistic response Mainstream providers not always responsive to needs
Service/funding barriers
Only 1/3 of homeless services offer support to engage Frontline staff not committed/trained to support learning Lack of information about learning opportunities Focus from funders on higher level qualifications/work
outcomes Totality of benefits not measured or recognised Individual funders disinvesting in learning and skills for
homeless people Bulk contracting excludes voluntary sector
Conclusions
Homeless people’s multiple needs should put them at forefront of key Government agendas
Learning and skills deliver benefits across all of these If it isn’t measured, it won’t count Explicit focus on learning and skills of homeless people
required across strategies, funders and providers Local partnerships can deliver added value – but need
new funding for engagement/first rung learning Joined up working at national level must come first
Research Summary and Full Report
available from:
www.crisis.org.uk/researchbank