BRFM More funding to help get rough sleepers off the streets
Written by karen on 4 February 2020
Swale Borough Council is investing more than £218,000 to continue to help rough sleepers get off the streets for good.
The investment comes following the success of the new proactive approach that saw 59 people helped off the streets and into housing last year.
Cllr Ben Martin, cabinet member for housing at the council, said:
“I welcome the additional funding secured thanks to the hard work of the housing team.
“We invested £150,000 last year to create a new support team that helped rough sleepers get into housing.
“The team includes a full-time complex needs worker from Porchlight, as well as a full-time out-reach and in-reach worker, and a part-time out-reach and in-reach worker that is soon to be a full-time post, also from Porchlight. The team also includes a full-time team coordinator based here at Swale.
“They help support people living on the streets by assessing their housing, social and healthcare needs, and working with partner agencies to help them move towards a more positive future.
“We also worked with Riverside Housing Association to lease 24-four units of accommodation at The Quays.
“It’s important to us that we work with local groups to help support rough sleepers and encourage them to engage with support services that can help them.
“We hope to build on the amazing work carried out in the past year and get every rough sleeper in Swale off the streets and into permanent housing.”
Funding to support the work has been received from the government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative.
