A new £3 million Housing First project - funded by last year's Social Bite charity sleepout - has been unveiled
A significant sum is set to be invested in helping hundreds of homeless people gain secure accommodation.
Social Bite - in partnership with the Corra Foundation and Glasgow Homeless Network (GHN) – unveiled the £3 million Housing First Scotland Fund today (Thursday, 14 June).
The programme is aiming to help 800 people who are sleeping rough or stuck in temporary accommodation to secure safe and supported long-term tenancies.
Cash was raised through last year's Sleep in the Park event, which saw 8,000 people take part in a sleepout in Edinburgh to raise funds to fight homelessness.
The initiative is based on the Housing First principle – which aims to help homeless people be rehoused quickly, even if they have complex needs.
“Housing First means that home is the best foundation from which to address any other challenges or disadvantages people face,” said Social Bite co-founder Josh Littlejohn.
“It means safety and security, and a fresh opportunity for people to build and live their lives as part of a community
“We have an incredible opportunity here to support 800 people off the streets and into mainstream accommodation with support. I would like to thank the 8,000 people that took part in Sleep in the Park last December and raised so much money, if it wasn't for them, this simply wouldn't be happening.”
Margaret Ann Brunjes, chief executive of Glasgow Homelessness Network, said: “The success of this programme will depend on the very best support being provided by the very best support workers. With a very small caseload, the Housing First approach will be personalised and persistent, flexible and asset-based – getting right alongside people to help them make their house a home."
The Housing First Scotland Fund will enable the delivery of the model in five local authority areas: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Stirling and Dundee, over a two-year period between August 2018 and July 2020.
Housing has been pledged in each of these areas to enable the programme to operate by a range of housing associations and local authorities, with the single largest commitment coming from Wheatley Group who have pledged in the region of 250 homes across Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The Corra Foundation’s Fiona Duncan said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for charities in five cities in Scotland to come together to deliver vital support for people as they move from homelessness into their own tenancies.”
