Simon Community Scotland has said action during Covid-19 proves that homelessness can be ended in Scotland
A homeless charity has provided vital support to keep thousands of people safe during Covid-19.
In the last four months since lockdown, Simon Community Scotland’s staff, volunteers and partners have supported 2,500 people experiencing homelessness or the risk of homelessness, including virtually eradicating rough sleeping for the first 14 days of lockdown from the streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh for the first time in decades.
Announcing this achievement during New Homes Week, Lorraine McGrath, the charity’s chief executive, praised the vital work.
“While Covid-19 has been devastating in so many ways, lockdown has given us an opportunity to provide solutions for people facing homelessness to find safety, stability and recovery, often for the first time in years,” she said.
“Many people have been more able to accept our support, and importantly, been able to find new ways to thrive once they have. We have always believed it is possible to end homelessness. An important silver lining of lockdown is that we now know what works to achieve this.”
Simon Community Scotland is the largest provider of homeless services in Scotland and the charity’s vision is for everyone to have a safe place to live with access to the help they need.
Despite lockdown, Simon Community Scotland has supported individuals ranging from 16 to 84, provided 156,000 meals and helped keep 2,500 people safe. This has been achieved together with partners like the Scottish Government, local authorities, corporate donors and individual donors through its first ever crowdfunding campaign, #GiveHope which has raised over £135,000 during lockdown.
Many people supported by Simon Community Scotland have experienced trauma from a young age, affecting their ability to recover and rebuild their lives. As well as providing a place of safety, it was vital to provide the support needed to achieve this, so the immediate access to the wide range of support delivered by partners at the hotels being used across Edinburgh and Glasgow has been key in creating long term lasting change.
Simon Community Scotland is launching a social media campaign, #LockdownLegends today (Thursday 23 July). The campaign will include a series of social media posts about the amazing contribution made by staff and volunteers at the charity to help keep people safe during lockdown and support them in making long term positive change.
Housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “It is in large part due to the commitment and hard work of partners like Simon Community that we have been able to support people who may otherwise have been sleeping rough into safe accommodation. Despite the devastating impact of Covid-19 pandemic, it has provided a unique opportunity to lock in a positive change and realise our ambition of ending homelessness and rough sleeping in Scotland for good. The challenge ahead is to make sure that nobody ends up back on the street and the Scottish Government will work with all partners to ensure we support people into settled homes.”
McGrath explained the importance of remaining focussed on ending homelessness in Scotland.
She said: “While fewer people are currently sleeping on streets, the risks are still there. These are likely to increase as we see the financial impact of this pandemic hit. We are already seeing more people seeking support, with more people than ever in temporary accommodation. We are grateful to partners, staff, volunteers, donors and those who have provided political support. But we cannot rest. To avoid huge swathes of people returning to rough sleeping and to ensure the positive changes created with the individuals we have supported during lockdown, it is vital that these priorities remain in focus. With this support and political drive, we can prevent rough sleeping on our city streets and all forms of homelessness not just in lockdown but forever.”
You can donate to the #GIveHope campaign online or on JustGiving.
