Point Made

In this month's episode, Josh and Anna talk to three young voters about political apathy amongst young people and the reasons why it is so important for young people to get out to vote and be the change they want to see.Remember you can register to vote even if you don't have a fixed address.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-to-vote-if-you-havent-got-a-fixed-or-permanent-addressYou need to register by the 16th April at 1.1.59pm if you want to vote in the local Mayoral Elections

It’s no surprise that young parents and particularly young mum’s have to overcome immense barriers to access education, employment and training. A 2017 piece of research by Action for Children found that only one in ten young parents went to university, compared to 45% of young people in general. 39% were only just scraping by financially. Social isolation was also an issue with 19% never or rarely seeing friends and it’s no surprise that mental health difficulties amongst young parents were significantly higher. This study was over seven years ago and with an ongoing cost-of-living crisis these numbers have undoubtedly increased. This episode will examine the challenges young parents face when trying to access education, employment and training. It will also aim to highlight available support and discuss what more could be done. We talk to young mum and former resident, Louise who highlights the difficulties that she faced as a young parent and a care leaver and signposts to some of the help available.Louise mentions the charity Become who support care experienced young people https://becomecharity.org.uk/,  and  https://driveforwardfoundation.org/ Here are some other useful links if you are a young parent seeing education, employment or training (EET)https://centrepoint.org.uk/what-we-do/education-training-and-employmenthttps://thisisusatuni.org/https://www.gov.uk/care-to-learnhttps://www.turn2us.org.uk/

This episode is hosted by Josh Ennis, a former Centrepoint service user and now an apprentice in the Fundraising Team. His co host is Anna Wooding, our Campaigns Officer. This discussion centres around the myths and stereotypes that frame the narrative around youth homelessness. Two of our lived experience ambassadors: Toni-Ann and Aminah, set the record straight and talk from their own personal experiences of vulnerability.If you are at risk of homelessness, please contact the Centrepoint Helpline on 0808 800 0661 or go to Centrepoint's website for advice.

This episode is hosted by Josh who was supported by Centrepoint when he experienced homelessness five years ago. He currently works for the fundraising team.He is joined by Taylor from our Rough Sleepers Team in Manchester as well as Joe and Danny, both ex rough sleepers.Together, they discuss the realities of homelessness, challenge the misconceptions - for example, that homelessness is a lifestyle choice and offer solutions and advice to others.The podcast was filmed at  the Cooperative Bank's Head Office in Manchester. The Cooperative Bank is one of Centrepoint's corporate partners. You can watch the episode at 

This month our LGBTQ+ inclusion Co-Chair and Media Officer, Megan Evans, hosts the podcast and talks to Maya Joseph-Chavez from Stonewall Housing who also runs https://qpocproject.co.uk/, an organisation for made of and for queer people of colour. We also have two former Centrepoint residents Hannah* and Mia*, a couple who met whilst living in a Centrepoint service.We will be discussing the realities of being LGBTQ+, female and homeless and how these identities intersect with different cultural backgrounds and upbringing. We will talk about some of the challenges these identities and backgrounds present when it comes to being out and proud.This month we were lucky enough to be hosted in the CAT Footwear office in Kings Cross and we have a special Q&A at the end with Daisy Flood from CAT talking about their corporate partnership with Centrepoint.*names have been changed.

Vulnerable young people are being forced into homelessness due to unsafe, unstable and unaffordable housing. Supported accommodation helps to break the cycle and provide young people with the safety and stability they need to move on with their lives – but it can only do so much. When young people are ready to leave homelessness behind and live independently, they face even more obstacles – like the housing crisis, and age discrimination in the Universal Credit system. But it doesn’t have to be this way.  In this episode of Point Made, current and former service users Ikra, Louise and Toni-Ann share their experiences of housing and talk about the changes they’d like to see.They’re also joined by Dr Tom Kerridge, our Policy and Research Manager, as he shares some of the findings of our new research report, Somewhere to Call Home: Improving young people's access to affordable, safe and secure housing.  

What does homelessness mean for women? How do we empower survivors of domestic abuse? As the international 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign comes to an end this month, Bethany and Katelin, two incredible young women who have been supported by Centrepoint, have an in-depth conversation with our host: Policy and Research Assistant Franki, about what it’s like to be in their shoes and homeless.Along with Martha Schofield, Research Officer for Shelter and Francesca Lorenzo-George, Housing First Project Worker for Solace Women's Aid, they discuss the findings of Centrepoint’s latest research report: In Her Shoes and what needs to be done to support and secure young women’s futures.

This month, the podcasters met in real life at one of our Centrepoint services and we recorded Point Made for our YouTube channel too! Former resident and founder of My Soho magazine, Kai Lutterodt hosts this week with Centrepoint young panellists, Ben, Sharon and Noor. Stockpiling, meal hacks and exercise: this month they discuss mental health in a cost-of-living crisis and how prioritising one's mental health is more important that ever in the current climate.Listen to find out how our young people support their own mental health and even discover Noor's delicious and cost-effective ramen recipe!

This month, former and current residents will discuss access to higher education. Currently, just 6 per cent of care leavers aged 19-21 go into higher education, and those that do are nearly twice as likely to drop out as their peers. At Centrepoint, almost 40% of the young people we support are care leavers, but all of the young people we support will experience some barriers to accessing higher education whether that be financial, educational, social, mental or a combination.A recent survey by Nationwide shows that two-thirds of students are struggling to pay bills or have fallen behind on their rent, prompting growing numbers to borrow money or use overdrafts as the fear of homelessness rises.Not only that, but nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) have had to borrow money from family members to pay for essentials such as food and rent in the past year, while four in 10 have relied on their overdrafts to cover these outgoings.More than one in five (22 per cent) said they knew someone who had become homeless in the past year due to financial difficulties, while one in seven worry about becoming homeless themselves.What more can be done to support young people like those that we support access and sustain higher education? In a cost-of-living crisis, this discussion is more pertinent than ever.Former resident and Centrepoint Trustee, Darren Douglas, talks to Centrepoint service users, Nadi and Noor. Nadi is just about to start university and Noor is just about to graduate. They discuss tips and tricks, mental health, support and other ways to get the most out of your university experience.

Four LGBTQ+ former Centrepoint service users and host, Jake Edwards (@jakeftmagic) talk about identity, pride, acceptance and generational change.Ari, Lara, Gary and  Frankie have a frank conversation  with Jake Edwards about what it's like to be LGBTQ+ and homeless. How have things changed since Gary was a teenager in the  early 90s to today? Have things got better or worse and is being trans similar to how it felt to be gay a generation ago?They also discuss education in depth and what needs to change to make things easier for young LGBTQ+ young people.

This month, we are very excited to have comedian, TV personality, model and influencer, Fats Timbo on Point Made to discuss overcoming obstacles. Fats has had to overcome many obstacles in her own life and one of the biggest challenges she had to overcome was accepting her disability and developing confidence. She talks to our host Jamie and panel of young people to discuss this topic and offer advice to other young people and people in general.

This month, Bethany, a young mum from London and former Centrepoint resident, hosts a frank and honest discussion about young motherhood. This episode examines access to services, support and misconceptions to celebrate Mothers' Day through the eyes of those real lived experience of both motherhood and homelessness.Joining Bethany on the panel this month are an amazing group of young women. First is our guest, Jayde Edwards, founder of Straight Talking Peer Education, a charity which runs courses in secondary schools to enable pupils to relate to the complex issues of teenage pregnancy, the life-changing consequences of early parenthood, child sexual exploitation as well as healthy relationships.We also have a number of young mothers, supported by Centrepoint or Centrepoint's partner organisations to talk about their experience of becoming and being a young mother.

Did you know that with our current benefits system, young people in supported accommodation are often  worse off when they work more hours? This month we discuss this issue and some of the solutions with a professional and varied panel. Presenting the podcast this week are Daniel Williams from Centrepoint Partner charity SLEAP based in Lancashire, Catherine Geddes, a former Centrepoint resident and peer researcher. On the Panel are: Daniel Demoulin, Head of Rough Sleeping Services at Depaul UK, Billy Harding, Policy and Research Manager at Centrepoint, Tom Freegard, Housing Officer at Centrepoint, Stephen Timms, MP for Eastham and Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee and Shannon PInk, a former Centrepoint resident.

This episode looks at Christmas through the eyes of young people who have experienced homelessness or are estranged from their biological families. Imagery of 'togetherness', 'family' and 'happiness' are impossible to escape at this time of year so three former Centrepoint service users share their memories and tips for surviving, redefining and even enjoying the season.NB. This episode was recorded on Zoom and has some digital drop out in places.If you are struggling this Christmas, there are organisations to reach out to such as:https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/find-help/i-need-urgent-help/ https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/ 

A candid conversation with  residents & ex-residents at different stages in their Centrepoint journey about what success means to them. This episode explores their experiences & struggles, and where they came from to where they are now, offering words of wisdom for young people trying to reach their own goals whilst proving that homelessness does not have to define one's future.

Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of trauma, suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, substance use and mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression and borderline personality disorder.This episode explores mental health in an unequal world. Former and current residents discuss this subject in relation to their own lived experience of homelessness with Centrepoint Health Team professionals, Stephen Geale and Evelyne Njuguna.

Point Made's first episode where former and current Centrepoint residents discuss their peer research into the benefits system, namely the proposed end to the Universal Credit uplift. They also discuss misconceptions around youth homelessness and those reliant on benefits.