The project was established in 2005. Its aims are to use the experience of young people you have experienced homelessness themselves to raise awareness of youth homelessness issues, help improve services provided to homeless young people through lobbying and campaigning and deliver training to help young people gain a successful leaving home experience. The project is one response to the Government’s agenda for young people, including Citizenship, Youth participation, and peer -mentoring and volunteering.
Where you at? Homeless education pack
“Where you at”, a preventative homeless education resource produced by MAD4U; a group of homeless and formerly homeless young people supported by Sunderland YMCA Foyer, a local supported accommodation provider.
This resource has been based on the groups first hand experience of homelessness and it is offered to compliment the Key Stage 4 curriculum for Personal Social, Health, Education and Citizenship. It comprises three one hour sessions and a 15 minute DVD (Choices: applying as homeless in Sunderland) filmed by the young people themselves. The programme aims to introduce young people aged 14-16 to the consequences of leaving home at an early age and inform them of where support it available if they find themselves homeless in the city.
The resource is has been designed in such a way that it can be delivered by our peer educators as three separate sessions or in its entirety to offer an added flexibility. If you would appreciate these sessions they can be delivered by young people from MAD4U. All requests should be forwarded to, Dave McCreedy on 0191 5676160 or david.mccreedy@sunderlandymca.co.uk
Rebecca Riley, a member of MAD4U who has just completed a pilot of the education pack in Thornhill Comprehensive School said “Where you at’ is designed to make sure people we don’t make the same mistakes we did. It’s a wake up call designed to show that living on your own, without support isn’t that easy”.
Johnny Gray, 19 and star of the video, said “Applying as homeless is a scary prospect for lots of young people who have no where to stay and no idea where to go for help. The video explains what young people can expect when they apply as homeless, it aims to put people at ease and make sure they speak to the right people as early as possible.”