Venus have announced that they’re looking for a trainee Centre Worker post for their exciting project, Our Place – Sefton Care Leavers’ Centre, working with young people in care and care leavers in their transition to independence.

The position is for a 15-month contract.  Closing date for applications is 5pm on Wednesday 18th May 2016.

More details and application packs for the role can be obtained from:

Craig Redman, Employer Liaison Officer, Sefton@Work, Sefton MBC, 286-288 Stanley Road, Bootle, L20 3ER, or email craig.redman@sefton.gov.uk

Also, Excel Housing Solutions are currently looking for a part time cleaner, for ten hours a week (flexible times) in the L20 area. You will need your own transport and full, clean driving license and paid mileage will be included. The rate of pay is £7.50ph.

The post is subject to enhanced DBS (paid for by EHS) and two references, one from most recent employer. Applications from both men and women are welcome for this position. This is an exciting opportunity to join a rapidly expanding Housing Association.

Please send your CV to admin@excelhousingsolutions.com

The Bosco Walking Group is setting out on an epic journey to raise money for new gym equipment.

The walk, scheduled for Friday 1^st of July, will take the grueling path overlooking Derwent Water, in the Lake District, up to Cat Bells, along Maiden Moor and on to the peak of High Spy. It is hoped that the challenge will be completed in a day and, with fair weather and plenty of Kendal Mint Cake, there will be need to call out the Mountain Rescue Service.

Grizzled walker and Bosco support worker, Sue, said: “Earlier this year, staff and residents of Bosco House worked together to form a walking group. We have carried out numerous local walks and the feedback received so far has been very positive and encouraging.”

“The residents involved have reported benefits to their health and social life and are very keen to explore outdoor activities further. So, during one of our weekly meetings, the group decided to embark on a sponsored walk to raise funds to purchase new gym equipment. This will be open for use by all who access support from Bosco House, as well as other local groups.”

Part-time rambler and full-time Bosco support worker, James, agreed: “It’s a challenge, that’s for sure, but it’s one we are willing to take on to raise money for this important issue.”

“Our service users are, in the main, a bit out of shape when they arrive, but with our new gym equipment they’ll be looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger when they leave!”

You can help to raise money by pledging your sponsorship to either Sue or James on 0151 944 1818 or email staff@boscohouse.org.uk

A damning new report reveals that, here in the UK in the 21^st century, one and a quarter MILLION people each year can’t afford the basic essentials needed to eat, keep clean, and stay warm and dry.

Around a third (400,000) had slept rough, begged or accessed a service intended to support complex needs such as substance misuse, mental ill health and contact with the Criminal Justice System.

The report, Destitution In The UK, is published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and is based on detailed research carried out by Heriot-Watt University. It reveals that, even though there are few straightforward reasons for why people become destitute, income (or lack of it) obviously plays a major role.

The researchers found that delays or interruptions to benefits, as well as debt and arrears payments, was the main cause. But, for those with the most complex needs, being unable to afford life’s basics is often the result of a more complex web of factors, including relationship breakdown and domestic violence.

Those with more complex needs experience longer periods of destitution and sometimes have no money for months or even years. This is also true for migrants, particularly those claiming asylum. People in these situations can become incredibly isolated and, lacking friends or a network of support, become reliant on benefits, voluntary services and sometimes begging.

The study found that most people who are fit for work see employment as the best route out of destitution. However, for most, the immediate challenge is resolving issues with their benefit claims and, particularly for those with the most complex needs, finding appropriate accommodation and support to address the wider issues in their lives. Even those who are able to improve their situation remained vulnerable to sudden changes in circumstances, such as their benefit entitlements.

The research is invaluable in highlighting both the scale of the problem, and the complexity of the response that’s needed. There are already good examples of how local areas can help people address the long-term issues that they face – but this report shows how much more work there is to do.

The full report can be downloaded at www.jrf.org.uk

With homelessness and rough sleeping in England on the rise – up 30% in a year to over 3,500 rough sleepers – campaigners are calling for a change in the law.

At present, English councils only have to rehouse people faced with losing their homes who are judged to be “priority” cases. However, the single homeless, healthy adults without children, and are not pregnant or vulnerable, do not generally fall into the priority category.

A review of homelessness legislation, written by representatives from Crisis, Shelter, local councils, the Chartered Institute of Housing and the National Housing Federation, says the law should be changed. In Wales, for example, local authorities have a duty to help prevent homelessness regardless of priority, and have to act within 56 days of the prospect of people losing their home. The groups that published the report say English law should be changed to adopt elements of the Welsh system.

Ministers made clear last year they were considering changing the law to help tackle homelessness. A government source said they were “very interested” in the ideas of a stronger duty of prevention and requiring councils to act earlier.

A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said ministers had committed £139m to homelessness programmes and another £100m for accommodation in the Budget. He added: “This report makes interesting reading and we will continue work with homelessness organisations and across government to explore options, including legislation, to prevent more people from facing a homelessness crisis in the first place.”

But the Labour Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, although supportive of the proposal said the plan would inevitably require more money and housing stock. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If you say somebody’s homeless and I have to house them, I have to have a place to house them. I can’t magic things up.”

The Liverpool Echo is running a series of articles on homelessness this week, starting with the plight of rough sleepers.

The Echo report states that research shows rough sleeping has almost doubled across Liverpool in the last year. It goes on to say that many people walking through the city centre will have noticed the growing number of people sleeping rough and begging on our streets. But this year’s rough sleeper count reveals the number of people out in the cold is at its highest level in six years, when the government’s current records began.

The snapshot figures reveal 15 people slept rough on one night in Liverpool late last year – up from eight in 2014 and just three in 2010. But opinions are split on why numbers are rising, with increasingly insecure employment, welfare reforms, domestic violence and cuts to local services highlighted by different organisations.

Dave Flack, development manager at the Basement charity, said: “We have seen a rise in the last 12 to 15 months, when it had been fairly static for a while. But there are strict rules about how you count people – they have to be bedded down. Many rough sleepers sleep in the day as they don’t feel safe at night – some have been attacked – so we can’t count them.”

“It’s difficult to explain the rise – every person has a unique reason, from relationship breakdown to mental health problems or substance abuse. Funding has been squeezed for services like homelessness by the government. We’ve also seen people who received benefit sanctions, but it’s not as huge a factor as we thought it would be.”

Frank Hont, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for housing, agreed the snapshot count did not reflect the true extent of rough sleeping. He said: “We have noticed a rise in rough sleepers but it’s difficult to know what it’s down to. It could be welfare reforms, the changing nature of employment, the economic crisis people find themselves in.”

“But it’s not a significant rise – it’s not anywhere near the rise in places like Birmingham, Manchester or Bristol.” He said the council prevented over 1,800 people becoming homeless last year, almost double the number in 2010.

Charlotte Mansbridge, services manager at the Whitechapel Centre, said: “There’s definitely a rise in rough sleeping within the city centre. We believe it’s influenced by many different factors – it may be current welfare reforms, relationship breakdown, a person’s ability to stay in tenancies, complex needs, mental health support and other issues like substance misuse and alcohol dependency.”

The series continues in The Echo throughout the week.