RECENTLY released Government figures show an increase in UK rough sleepers – with an estimated record high of 4,793 people recorded as living on the streets during a single night last Autumn.
In response to this growing problem, a National Plan to End Homelessness has been launched – backed by a £3.5-million prevention pot over three years. North East Lincolnshire Council is set to benefit from some of this investment and, as it works with partners to strengthen support available across the borough, we are running a series of articles that focus on the support already available for rough sleepers.
Harbour Place lead on outreach supporting rough sleepers in North East Lincolnshire – helping those most vulnerable access life-saving services. Other local partners – including Humberside Police and North East Lincolnshire Council’s rough sleeping co-ordinator, Liz – also support Outreach activity across the borough.
As part of a holistic approach, they visit rough sleeping hotspots before dawn, and after dark, at least twice a week, offering holistic wrap around support – building trust to discover the root causes of a person’s situation and what can be done to help. They can also be seen during the day – talking to those who are still on the streets.
Denny Batty, Project Director of Harbour Place added: “We have been undertaking outreach for well over two decades. The main aim of our charity is to engage with those that are often forgotten or left without services. Our long history and local ties give us the privileged position of trust with many rough sleepers. This helps the work we do and that of partners who accompany us on outreach to been successful. The importance of being there at the worst of times shows you are committed to making lives better, our communities see that and remember it.
North East Lincolnshire Council’s rough sleeper coordinator, Liz says: “Having a multi-agency way of working is so important to give these people the wrap-around support they need. We’re grateful to all our partners who work together to supply this, with more agencies asking to join us all the time.”
Christine Hutchinson, Regional Head of Operations at Turning Point says: “People who experience rough sleeping are some of the most vulnerable in society, with a life expectancy decades below the rest of society. The causes of rough sleeping are complex and equally the answer is not simple. It requires a coordinated multi agency approach to be successful and we are pleased to be an integral part of North East Lincolnshire’s innovative way of tackling this problem through our work at North East Lincolnshire Recovery Partnership, alongside Framework and Double Impact.”
As well as providing funding to support outreach work across the borough, NELC commissions Wizer CIC to strengthen its frontline support. The organisation works with individuals entrenched in the justice system and affected by drug and alcohol dependencies, helping them connect with vital services.
Wizer’s chief executive Toseef Khan said: “The organisations impact is built on trust and credibility. Our Navigators have lived through, and, overcome many of the same challenges faced by the people we support. That shared experience breaks down barriers, builds trust and enables us to make a difference.’
Cllr Stewart Swinburn, whose Portfolio at North East Lincolnshire Council includes housing and rough sleeping, joined fellow Cabinet member – Leader Cllr Philip Jackson and Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Communities, on a dawn Outreach walk last week.
He appealed for the public to support the outreach services in helping those sleeping on our streets by using StreetLink:
“StreetLink is a website that sends the location of those sleeping rough to outreach. The public can fill in a short alert with basic details of the person and where they are sleeping rough.
“Reporting rough sleepers through StreetLink is a more effective way to ensure they receive the support they need than well-intentioned but short-term actions such as giving food or money. It enables services to offer help to get them off the streets and into accommodation with long-term, sustainable support.”
“To make an alert about someone you see sleeping rough on the streets please go to StreetLink – Connecting people sleeping rough to local services”
Tomorrow we look at Swan House and the work services do to support those sleeping rough
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