Housing

If you are out to your parents and they are supportive and accept you being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), and you are happy at home, that is brilliant. However, our research found that just over a quarter of the 50 GALYIC members interviewed had been homeless. Some LGBT young people are made homeless because their parents throw them out or make life unbearable at home because of their sexual orientation. In fact, over a third of GALYIC members who have been homeless said that this was related to their sexual orientation.

American research has found that individuals who eventually identify as LGBT may be at greater risk for maltreatment during childhood. Nearly a third of GALYIC members who have been interviewed have been sexually abused. We need to look into this further because we do not know whether the abuse happened at home or elsewhere.

Another reason why LGBT young people are often homeless is because they do not want to access homeless hostels or bed and breakfast accommodation as these can be unsafe places for LGBT young people. One of our members was forced to take drugs in a homeless hostel (which has since been closed down); and a male member says he was sexually assaulted in bed and breakfast accommodation; this has also been closed down.

If you are in a situation where your family is homophobic and are likely to throw you out; or life is so unbearable at home because of their homophobia, it is important you access support. Living in an environment where your family constantly undermine you can have a devastating effect on your mental health.

GALYIC can help. If it is appropriate, we can speak to your parents and try and resolve the problems by encouraging them to accept and support you for who you are.

We work closely with the Supported Lodgings Scheme (Splodge) who provide accommodation and support for young people aged 16 to 25 years. Many of our members have been referred to Splodge. Supported Lodgings is like a stepping-stone for young people between leaving home and setting up their own home. Whilst having your own place may seem like the right thing for you, it can be very lonely and not everyone is ready for the financial management needed to pay bills or are able to cook.

Supported Lodgings is a project where providers (these could be families or single people) let lodgers have their own room but usually share the other facilities like bathroom, kitchen, and lounge. The providers offer some support around budgeting or cooking or whatever your needs are. You also have a key worker who provides support in many other areas such as helping you to sort out benefits, attend training or college or negotiate with your family.

Supported Lodgings also offer a tenant support scheme whereby young people have their own private tenancies but a key worker from Splodge will help you with any issues.

Last year Sadeh Lok, a housing association in Huddersfield, opened up a ten bedsit facility specifically for LGBT people and some of our members are tenants. We access this project via the Brunswick Centre who have worked closely with Sadeh Lok to develop the scheme. If it is successful they might look at opening a similar scheme in Calderdale.

Both Supported Lodgings Scheme and Sadeh Lok will help you get your own place either through a housing association or Pennine Housing. Pennine Housing have their own LGBT tenants support group.

GALYIC are working with the Calderdale Homelessness Forum to ensure LGBT young people are included in the Youth Homelessness Strategy, and their specific needs taken on board. In January 2010 the GALYIC presentation group gave a presentation at a half-day conference on the Youth Homelessness Strategy. Click here to access powerpoint presentation and here for the script.

The Family Acceptance Project in San Francisco is developing resources to support the families of LGBT young people and the Child Welfare League of America have produced Best Practice Guidelines for Serving LGBT Youth in Out-of-Home Care. The Center for American Progress have published a report, On the Streets, The Federal Response to Gay and Transgender Homeless Youth.

There is an excellent section on the governnment's site, The National Youth Homelessness Scheme website.