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