A DVD has been launched to educate young people about housing services in Doncaster as part of Doncaster Council's new smarter ways of working.

The DVD, called 'Housing Options', has been produced for Doncaster Council's Housing Options service and aims to educate 14-17-year-olds about the help on offer, should they find themselves struggling to find somewhere to live in the future.

As a result of developing new partnerships with local schools and the voluntary and community sector,  the DVD will be used in schools and with other agencies such as the M25, YMCA and Doncaster Foyer - all third sector agencies that contribute to the council's strategic housing investment priorities by helping young people who find themselves without a home.

In 2010/2011 over 1200 young people aged under 25 approached the council's Housing Options service for advice and assistance on their housing issues. 

Shot over three days, the 10 minute DVD, explains the various services on offer.

The DVD covers how the council's Housing Options service works. Besides offering help on housing, the Council's new enhanced housing options service also offers support to get people back into work, back into education, get the health care they need, as well as support tackling debt and applying for benefits.

Inger Marriott, Doncaster Council's Housing Options Development Officer, said:

"We are keen to explain how our smarter way of working can help people to tackle the causes of homelessness as opposed to only ever dealing with the effects. The DVD covers several case studies covering how our teams help older people, a family and a pregnant 16-year-old.

"It is hoped this DVD will show young people what the Housing Options service offers to resolve housing situations should they find themselves without a home in the future and also the other help we offer such as helping people into work, with their benefits, into further education and so on.

"We now offer a full package of services for people who need a helping hand. We will also use the DVD to build even better working relationships across  council  departments and with our partner agencies such as  South Yorkshire Police, Probation, NHS Doncaster, private landlords, St Leger Homes and other housing associations working inDoncasterto continually enhance the services that are available across the borough - in the most efficient way possible." 

Jacqui Wiltschinsky, Assistant Director of Public Health at NHS Doncaster, said:

"The health implications of a person not having a stable, good quality home cannot be understimated, whether they be young or old, so I am really pleased to see that the joint working between the council and NHS Doncaster that has been in place for a couple of years now is being further enhanced by this DVD, which gives lots of information about the full package of services now available to people."