Depaul UK 21 st Birthday and Jigsaw Projects 1 st Birthday Celebrations

1. Depaul UK 21st Birthday and Jigsaw Projects 1st Birthday Celebrations Homelessness Sunday 2011 By Jigsaw Project

2. How? What? November 2011 was Depaul UK’s 21st Birthday and Jigsaw Project’s first birthday. In order to celebrate this, we asked the young people we work with what they would like to do. The winning suggestion was a ‘sleep out’ followed by a promotional event. We decided to do this on 30th January 2011, Homelessness Sunday, part of poverty and homelessness week. It was decided that the event should be split, with the staff organising the actual ‘sleep out’ and the young people with support organising the ‘promotional event’. With some of us staying out for 21 hours!

3. PREPARATION: ‘Promotional event’ Meetings: We met with the young people to discuss the messages they wanted to get across to the public about homelessness, and thereafter with Andrea Shield, support worker on a weekly basis to work on these. They created interactive games, quizes, posters and art work in order to get across their messages about what youth homelessness is and the causes and effects. They did a lot of work about ‘sofa-surfing’ Photographic display: with the help of Newcastle College photography department offering the time of Catherine Shield (Andrea’s sister), the young people were taught how to take photographs. To inspire them, the young people were taken to The Holy Biscuit to have a look at a homeless exhibition by Crisis Skylight & Barnardos. After this they spent many a week with Catherine and Andrea within the local community taking photos of objects that depicted their messages. A grant was sourced and gained through CVS, so that a display of their work could take place.

4. PREPARATION: ‘Sleep Out’ Research began by looking into other sleep out events that had taken place throughout the UK, to find what was required for such an event, as there was no one to turn to locally as South Tyneside had never had a group ‘sleep out’. We met with the Police and Council’s H&S manager, who recommended under the old town hall in the market place, South Shields as an ideal venue, due to the facilities and location. We agreed a maximum of 25 participants and asked young people and other organisations linked to youth homelessness to join us

5. 30th January – The SleepOut Having collected up sleeping bags, cardboard boxes, sponsorship money, tea coffee, torches, layers of clothes 25 people (young and old!) gathered together in South Shields market place at 5pm Thought Diary Quotes: Expectations for the night: “just hope I make it through the night”, “ to be cold” ; “wasn’t sure what to expect”; “to have an insight into rough sleeping”; “cold and no sleep”; Worries/Concerns: “spiders and rats”; “people may be abusive towards us”;”people starting trouble”; “sleeping on the hard ground and the length of the night”; “people coming over drunk”; “I had no concerns as I knew the night was well organised”; “thought about weather conditions”

6. The sleep People quickly set to work building homes for the night. With only a little card left, we were proud to witness 3 of our young people pulling together to build a joint shelter, demonstrating great personal qualities. “proud of our shelter”; “I enjoyed the camaraderie, and how everyone helped each other to build shelters-particularly how the young people helped and supported each other” With either card or roll mats on the floor, everyone laid claim to their shelter by laying out their sleeping bags and belongings. This was now their new home for the night, and there was a sense of pride andachievement with what they had created and built.

7. How cold? Anticipating the cold (being it was January!) Jo arranged with Amelia Luffbra the manager of the local soup kitchen ‘Hospitality & Hope’ for us to come along and get soup and a roll in order to keep us going. We were shown into the hall, with the regulars taking seats at the dining tables for a nutritious meal and our group queuing for our own prepared soup in a cup and roll to take away. The hall was full with about 43 people including ourselves and there were hall were tables full of donated clothing and shoes for people to take. The kitchen also hands out sleeping bags to those sleeping rough and gives sandwiches to take away. “lush soup at the soup kitchen”; “learned about how the soup kitchen works and the people who give their time to help the homeless and needy”; “going to the soup kitchen and seeing all the people using it was very sad”;“the soup kitchen was packed, there were 43 people in there for a hot meal” :“moved at the people in the soup kitchen, there seemed to be a support network within them, felt I was disturbing their time”; “provided a bit of hospitality and hope albeit for an hour a day, not sure how people would get through their day without it”;

8. Sleepless in South Shields With everyone fed they continued to get to know each other over a cuppa, and this continued throughout the night with a group gathering to play cards. Although wrapped up warm the cold was beginning to bite and individuals began to make use of the space blankets, and climbed into their sleeping bags. People reflected on the experience so far and what it would be like to be homeless. Others, began settling down for the night as best as they could, with a group staying awake until after the pubs had closed, to ensure everyone were safe from any rebuke. With Mick taking the role as night watchman, everyone else tried to get to sleep. However for some, this was a difficult feat, whether it was due to the cold, concerns, or the sound of the few snorers within the group. Unable to sleep Jo and Andrea stayed awake throughout the night, taking on a parental role watching over everyone. Throughout the night, they were joined by individuals who also had difficulty sleeping.

9. What was it like? “the fact it was in the open made you feel vulnerable, anyone could come along at anytime and do anything”; “everybodys snoring”; “hard coping with the cold and having to go to the loo all the time, getting no sleep”;

10. What was it like? “trying to get warm, and can’t get to sleep with snoring”; “ I feel so cold”; “the hardness of the ground, not being able to get comfortable”; “hard when you wake up not knowing the time,hearing all unusual sounds, feeling of unknown, of unfamiliar surroundings”; “hard going to sleep”;

11. The next day With morning due to break, everyone began to wake and began packing up. Soon, the free breakfast kindly donated by McDonalds was collected and we all tucked in to a well deserved meal, and continued to talk about the experience. “I can empathise why people may turn to drink and drugs as I was humbled by the strength you need to survive in this environment” “frustrated that in 2011 there are homeless people, and homes being left empty, derelict even foredawn, where is the sense in that?” I feel terrible, I am tired, cold, I feel sick. How do these people cope with this life?”; “I recommend everyone does if for one night to get an understanding of being homeless”; “I feel depressed, physically sick, tired, generally ill and frozen to the bone” “I felt thoroughly depressed and could not wait to get in the car and go home; a luxury real homeless people don’t have” Radio Newcastle turned up at 7am to interview Josh one of our young people. Within 15mins of his (very articulate and thought provoking!) interview we listened to him being broadcast on the radio! Well done Josh!

12. Promotional Stall The market staff arrived, followed shortly by market traders. Not long after we had a surprise visit from a reporter and photographer from the Shields Gazette to do a follow up story. The promotional event had now begun, and although extremely tired, Andrea, Jo with return visits and support from a couple of the YP, members of the public demonstrated their interest by donating, discussing the displays and asking questions. Some people had heard the radio interview, which had been played throughout the day on Metro Radio, and others had seen the press release that had gone to press in the morning. As 2pm approached ending 21hours, which marked Depaul’s 21st birthday, we packed up, and headed home.

13. A Success? Through media attention not only did we raise awareness of youth homelessness and the impact reform will have but it gave some of our young people the opportunity to represent young people who have or who are threatened with homelessness. They were able to have a voice and get their messages across as well as promote the work that Depaul UK and the Jigsaw Project does. We raised £850.00 through donations. I would like to thank all of the YP who worked hard over the last 5 months on the promotional event, and those that contributed by participating in the sleep out and representing Depaul UK with interviews. Thank you for the support shown by the organisations/individuals that participated, and raised money through sponsorship. Newcastle College Photography Department, by releasing Catherine Shield to teach and support our YP in the photography display. Thank you Catherine. Bupa for supplying us with free space blankets for all participants Hospitality & Hope, especially Amelia Luffbra, by providing participants with hot soup and rolls, and everyone for making us feel welcomed. McDonald’s in South Shields, for giving everyone a well deserved breakfast, free of charge. The support of the Market Manager and staff, Police, H&S manger and Council for approving the event. I would like to thank Depaul UK’s regional administrative team for their support, fundraising team, Regional Manager and lastly Jigsaw Project team, for their dedication and hard work, through which many hours were spent in their own time especially in those two weeks following Council approval to pull this landmark event off. They are a credit to Depaul UK, South Tyneside and this sector.

14. Thankyou!