The issue of homelessness in the island is sadly as real as that in the UK, a 16-year-old Housing Matters volunteer has said.

Lily McKinnon, a Ballakermeen High School student, has been a volunteer at the island charity for three years after she felt inspired to find out more about the issue when seeing people living on the streets in the UK.

She has been helping the charity with its Peer Education Programme, which aims to dispel myths about homelessness and educate young people about the realities of living without permanent accommodation and how to get support should they encounter difficulties themselves.

Since the programme began, Housing Matters - which offers advice, guidance and support around housing issues to those in the Isle of Man - has engaged with more than 2,000 students across the island.

Lily said: ’Before I started at Housing Matters, I had never seen a homeless person on the street in the Isle of Man.

’To be honest, after three years of volunteering I still haven’t, but this doesn’t mean I’m unaware homelessness exists in the island.

’After a trip to York in 2017, I witnessed many homeless people on the streets as I was walking around.

’The area reminded me of the island and that’s what got me thinking.

’On returning to the Isle of Man, I wanted to discover the truth about homelessness over here because I refused to believe it didn’t exist.’

She signed up to volunteer one day a week after school at Housing Matters, which was set up in 2007 to help prevent, reduce and manage homelessness here.

Thanks to a five-year funding package awarded by local homebuilder Dandara, Housing Matters was able to launch its Peer Education Programme in 2017.

Lily said: ’I work closely with Katie Farrall, the peer education co-ordinator for Housing Matters, and she has taught me all about homelessness in the Isle of Man and that the issue over here is sadly as real as in the UK.

’I have learned that many of the homeless people here are classed as the "hidden homeless"; a term I didn’t even know existed or what it was.

’This can mean people "sofa surf" (again, another phrase I didn’t know!) between friends’ homes or even sleep in their cars for long periods of time.

’This got me thinking that if I, a 13-year-old at the time, didn’t know about any of this, how are other children my age supposed to know as we are so shielded from it?’

She added that every year the charity is contacted by dozens of teenagers in the island who do not have permanent accommodation. Therefore she believes the programme is important to inform more people about the issue.

As part of her work she has presented school assemblies, developed brochures to raise awareness about homelessness here and to break stigma surrounding it.

’Although it is a challenging role, it is really rewarding to help educate and inform young people on such an important topic,’ she said. ’I want the stigma surrounding homelessness to end.

scenario

’Unfortunately anyone, no matter their age, can become homeless at any given time. All it takes is a change of circumstance such as a family fall-out, mental health issue, unemployment or other similar scenario and you could find yourself without a permanent home.’

She said that in light of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, she hopes more residents gain a deeper understanding of homelessness because everything can change overnight. ’Just as we have experienced,’ she added.

Contact Housing Matters on 675507 or [email protected] to find out more about the education programme.