i-peopleIssue 5 Winter 2013

Independent People’s Quarterly Magazine

Bright lights...big cityThe Involvement Programme goes to town

Things that make you go Ahhhh...Stories full of good stuff

Events, reviews & opportunities for 16 - 25 year olds

CONTENTS3...2013 Intro

4...Christmas photos

5...Clinks and PRS fundings

6...Things that make you go Ahhhh

7...Bristol Blanket Bank

8...The Clothes Line

9 - 10...The Involvement Programme

11 - 13...Opportunities

14...Jenny’s Review - Women’s Group

15...Music will you marry me?

16 - 17...Opportunities

18...Bright lights Big city

19...Useful Numbers

Get in touch anytime...Freephone for service users: 0800 731 72 13

Head Office Kingsley Hall 59 Old Market Street, Bristol, BS2 0ER 0117 317 8800 enquiries@1625ip.co.uk

South Gloucestershire 23 The Parade Coniston Road Patchway Bristol BS34 5LP 01454 865 732 sglos@1625ip.co.uk

St Georges House 101 St Georges Road Hotwells Bristol BS1 5UP 0117 927 6600 sgh@1625ip.co.uk

Go to our website www.1625ip.co.uk Please donate!

Find us on Facebook “Independent People”

Follow us on Twitter #1625ip

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This magazine is produced by young people, volunteers and staff at Independent People. Please forward it on to as many people as you can!

Christmas seems like an age away now, in both directions. It’s always a bit of a double edged sword in the world of homelessness. Some love it because it means family and good times, but for those without a network of people around them it’s not so much fun. We’re not ones to sit around though, it’s just not our way. The Participation team, and the young people on our Involvement Programme joined forces with Bristol Bridge Rotary Club (young Rotar-ians) and set about arranging a brilliant Free Christmas Party for any of the young people we support to come along to. They hired the fabulous new youth venue in central Bristol, The Station. It is deeply cool (without trying to be).

The Involvement Programme members organised the whole shebang - venue,

invites, entertain-ment, gift bags, prizes and music and The Station put on a top Christmas Dinner.

Service users got to decorate staff as anything they liked as long as it was “Christmas Related”, which resulted in some pretty wacky get ups. Not to mention our Service Improvement Director dressed as the baby Jesus. Hats off to him.(Photos overleaf...)

We’ve started the year with a ton of enthusiasm and a million things to do. All good, and all aimed at you, so if you’re 16-25 years old and reading this - carry on - there’s bound to be something in here that interests you.

The photos here are from a day out at the Aquarium with young parents.

Take care until the next time :o) Independent People.

2013

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Christmas Party 2012

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How would you like to tell the professionals what it’s really like?We’ve got some funding from Clinks to make a DVD with young people which will help professionals like Social Workers, YOT and Probation workers to really understand what it’s like moving from children’s services to adult services.

Lots of young people find the change really difficult and don’t feel professionals understand what they’re going through and what they need.

The DVD will be used as part of staff training and is really good way for young people to tell them what they need during these times.

If you’d like to be involved in making the DVD get in touch with Pilar Garcia at Independent People on 0800 731 7213.

Young people need homes!In the next few months you will notice we have a new project running at Independent People.

It hasn’t got a name yet - but it’s a scheme which helps young people to rent properties in the private sector.

It’s part of the Private Rented Sector Access Scheme (a bit of a mouthful!).

Not many landlords will rent to young people these days because they think the risks of damage or not paying their rent is too high. We think that’s wrong.

Yes - some young people are not ready to look after a property and pay their rent on time, but many more are ready.

We’ll be working with local landlords to break down the barriers young people face. We’ll refer young people who have shown they are ready to move on and we’ll support them and the landlords through the whole thing.

It’s not fair that all young people are being tarred with the same brush, and this scheme will help about 75 young people to move on. We bid for the funding from Crisis, the national homeless-

ness charity and Bristol City Council agreed to match it if we won. And we did!

Big thanks to Crisis and BCC!

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If you’re not DOING anything and you want to DO SOMETHING but you’re not sure WHAT to do...

This is for you

Join a friendly team of young people. At Independent People we run the Involvement Programme. Young people we support can apply to be part of a small team who organise activities and events for other young people. You don’t need any experience or qualifications - just a positive attitude!

You’ll spend three weeks - Tues, Wed, Thurs 10am-3pm putting together a six week activity programme for other young people to take part in. You choose the activities.You get loads of skills to put on your CV:

- volunteering certificates - experience of risk assessments - equal opportunities - event management - evaluation skills - group dynamics - First Aid - budgeting - promotion - team work

Not sure?Let your Support Worker know you want to know more about the Involvement programme.Joni or Tom, who run the programme will give you a call and meet you for a chat.

They’ll give you a bit more information on what the programme is about and if you’re up for it - they’ll sign you up - if not fair enough. NO pressure.

So, ask your support worker to refer you or call Joni direct on 0117 317 8800 or 07899842304.

TheInvolementProgramme

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St George’s House is a 25 bed emergency accommodation hostel for 16-25 year olds in Bristol.

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Mediation is used to help people to sort out their differences. Our aim is to help prevent you from becoming homeless due to a conflict. We try to find a way forward that everyone feels will work.Do you know someone who is involved in a dispute that may result in them becoming homeless ?Bristol Homeless Mediation Service may be able to help.For more information ask for a leaflet or phone/text the number below

Free phone: 0800 731 7213Or text/call: 07772445404 Kingsley Hall, 59 Old Market StreetBristol, BS2 0ER

Sort out your differences

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Bright lights... Big City

The young people on the recent Involvement Programme decided they’d like to arrange a trip to London. They planned, risk assessed, arranged transport and travel for the group. Then they hit town, the Tate Modern, the German Winter Wonderland, Buck Palace, Soho and the beach (?). Who knew.

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Useful NumbersWhy pay?

If you’re a ServIce uSer

uSe the freephoNe

0800 731 7213 Number to

coNtact your Support

Worker

If you need help, advice or want to talk about something

that’s worrying you - your sup-port worker will try to help you

or will put you in touch with the right people. There’s always

someone to talk to.

Check the back of your Service User Handbook for

other useful organisations and freephone numbers.

In an emergency for Fire, Police and Ambulance

services dial 999

SHELTER24 hour freephone number: 0808 800 444

SMELL GAS OR SUSPECT A LEAK? Call National Grid using a phone outside your home and then call your landlord’s repair line 0800 111999 POWER FAILURE- ELECTRICITY24 hours 0800 365 900

CouncilsBristol City Council (8.30am- 8pm) 0117 922 2200Emergency Control Centre (24 hrs) 0117 922 2050

South Glos Council (Switchboard and out of hours) 01454 868686 Police (main switchboard) 0845 4567 000 Emergency 999Hospitals and Health Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) 0117 923 0000 Southmead Hospital 0117 950 5050 Frenchay Hospital 0117 970 1212 NHS Direct (24Hrs) 0845 4647 GP / Health Centres 0845 4647

RSPCA (pets) 0300 1234 999

Useful Mental Health contacts:www.mind.org.uk tel: 0117 980 0370www.rethink.org tel: 0300 5000 927www.awp.nhs.uk tel: 01249 468 000 Avon and Wiltshire NHS:www.bristol.gov.uk/balp Bristol active life project

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