young people

I realised last night that all the people we didn't know who had offered us money during the sleep out or had come up to us and shown concern, were young people. Young people are often seen as some sort of threat which is so unfair. And young people understand fairness very well.

One young Somalian friend had inspired us to do a very positive Peace Festival event today in the same space that we had the detention cage last week. He had spent time in detention so he knew what it was like, but what he wanted to say was thank you to the culture which had accepted him. He said lets also think about the good things about British culture like the full English breakfast! So this morning on Shelton Square pavement we chalked a huge plate of sausages, bacon, egg, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, toast and black pudding. Round the edge we wrote on his behalf 'Dear People of Coventry, thank you for welcoming me to your lovely city. British culture is great. Aziz from Somalia'.

Later on, in the square outside Oxfam, we performed our short play about statelessness called 'We don't want you. Go away!'.It tells the story through song, mime and narrative of a young man fleeing torture and coming to England in search of safety. He gets refused asylum and is made homeless. Eventually he is put in detention but a year later the Home Office have been unable to get entry papers to his country of origin and he is released back onto the streets. In the closing scene everyone he approaches turns their back on him. It is a powerful piece.

A distressed stateless man from Palestine came to see me shortly after I had got home. Palestinians are never sent back. He is homeless and has been getting by with help from friends for many years but is getting more and more anxious and rarely sleeps. He is a physiotherapist and has been here since 2000. What had triggered the visit was that a young Kurdish man from Iraq had apparently been found dead in his flat in Hillfields earlier in the week. Mohammed was convinced he died of stress. Apparently he was 28 and had come here when he was 19 and had been refused asylum. We rang the Home Office to see if we could get any update on Mohammed's case. In trying to find out details the man on the phone told him he shouldn't be in this country. When he put the phone down Mohammed was angry - 'he should not have said that- he is meant to be a professional". He sat for a while and then said 'I am a Muslim and don't believe in suicide, but if something doesn't happen soon I am going to kill myself. I cannot go on like this. If I kill myself I will get rest".

Young British people can also experience problems. Earlier I had popped into Connexions to find out the benefits situation because I know it is complicated between the ages of 16 and 18. Apparently if they are in full time education or training they can get income support but if they are working and lose their job they can only get JSA if they can prove they are in hardship which has to be done through Connexions. (they need to get income support or JSA in order to get housing benefit) They cannot take out tenancies but they may be able to get housing through the Cyrenians Young People's Direct Access which can give them 28 days accommodation (depending on availability) or there is the Foyer but there are long waiting lists there. Apparently the YMCA is planning a state of the art new project in Coventry. In between applications for support or waiting on waiting lists young people who have left home often experience homelessness. Usually they cope by 'sofa surfing' around their friends. But not everyone can do that. They are particularly vulnerable at this time in their lives. Connexions are great though - I have heard a lot of praise from young people about them.

It is raining hard as I write this. I soon need to prepare for my last night in New Union Street. Tomorrow I will be sleeping out at the Friends Meeting House after our evening Peace Action gathering, and then on Saturday night I will be back in my own bed. I am lucky.