Education Department

As part of CHAP's incessant growth, an addition to the organisation in 2005 was the Education department.  CHAP has been commissioned by North Ayrshire Council to deliver a programme of Homeless Prevention Education lessons to pupils in all of the 10 secondary schools across North Ayrshire.

The aim of the lessons are to eradicate youth homelessness, raise awareness of the reality of homelessness and to destigmatise the issue. It is intended that the lessons will encourage young people to carefully consider their options before taking the decision to leave home and to enable them to identify who would be able to assist them with housing issues.

  Included in the lessons will be

  * A general overview of the severity of homelessness amongst the youth of North Ayrshire

  * A DVD presenting the experiences of individuals who have experienced homelessness

  * A brief overview of housing options available to young people

  * Examples of weekly budgets which will highlight how challenging managing money can be

  * The financial reality of leaving home

Education worker, Stuart Muir, alongside Education Co-ordinator Debbie Alexander are now working in all 10 secondary schools across North Ayrshire, including Arran Academy.

The department also delivers a more extensive training package to pupils who follow an "alternative curriculum" and also to youth training groups across North Ayrshire, again focusing on homelessness prevention. The department delivers regular workshops to both the Scottish Training Foundation and the Prince's Trust group, both of whom are based in the local area.

As well as delivering lessons to young people the Education department have also developed a website focusing on the issue of homelessness and leaving home.  This website was produced in partnership with 2nd year students form the Information Technology department of James Watt College, Kilwinning.  The website, which was launched in December 2005 and has had over 5000 "hits" since this time, was set up in addition to the work being carried out in schools and youth groups.  The aim of the website is to inform young people of the realities of homelessness and the other options that are available to them.  We hope that this website provides young people with useful and accurate information, which may prevent an increase in youth homelessness and / or assist young people leaving home.

Please have a look at the website at www.chap-at-the-door.org.uk and let us know what you think!

The education department have also been busy recently with the develppment of a DVD which is shown to young people as part of the education lesson.  The DVD was produced in partnership with the Prince's Trust 'Team 75' and the Caley Centre based in Stevenston.  By involving young people in the actual production of the DVD it is hoped that it will be both enjoyable and useful for young people to watch.  The DVD was filmed in the local area and features local people who have actually experienced homelessness conveying their own accounts of the situation.  It is hoped that the DVD will emphasise the severity of homelessness in the local area as well as dispelling the common myths that many individuals have of homelessness.  In the first three months of 2007, 92% of the young people who have had the opportunity to watch the DVD indicated that they would consider leaving home more carefully as a result of this.