Young Scots tenants need more support and better quality housing
Mhairi Black has called for better quality affordable housing for young people as well as greater support for first time tenants.
The MP backed new research in which young people said they needed a range of support to help them make the transition from their parents’ homes into their own accommodation.
This included easy-to-understand forms to apply for housing.
They would also like support to develop their life skills such as banking, budgeting, cooking and cleaning.
The Beyond4Walls (B4W) youth research project - run in partnership with Wheatley Group, the Poverty Alliance and Children in Scotland - involved a group of young people aged 14-21 from across Glasgow coming together to discuss and explore housing, economic and community issues in Scotland.
Black said: "It's great to see young people getting involved and making their voices heard.
“The project is proof that young people want to be involved in their communities.
“Having access to accommodation which is affordable and suitable is central to meeting young people’s needs. I hope this report gives housing associations the guidance they need to start working more closely with young people to provide the support they require.”
A need for good quality housing was also regarded as essential, the young people said, with many believing housing must be affordably heated, have space for them to study, have wifi and be a place they felt safe.
The project is proof that young people want to be involved in their communities - Mhairi Black
They also identified the importance of having a voice in their own community and good transport links.
A number of the group expressed concern about the wider labour market, lack of opportunities and concerns about their long-term economic security.
One young person involved in the project said: “Beyond4Walls has helped me gain confidence in voicing my ideas and allowed me to relate to team members who are all from different backgrounds.
“We all have a common aim: to address housing problems and to develop invaluable transferable skills for the future,” they said.
Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance, which led the research, said: “It is clear from this research that housing is a critical issue for young people.
"Having access to affordable accommodation is central to meeting young people’s housing needs, but there is much more that also needs to be done.
“The young people who led this research found that what was required was far more support on housing generally.
“We hope this research will help guide the way that housing providers in Scotland respond to the needs of young people and will encourage them to actively engage with young people.
“We know that by really listening to the views of young people then they will ultimately find better solutions to the problems they face.”
Children in Scotland chief executive Jackie Brock added: “Spaces to learn and to play at home and in the community are also very important.
“We advocate that community planning partnerships should routinely involve the voices and experiences of children and young people.”
