Let’s make any change positive
Blog entry January 2010
We start the new decade with more than a little trepidation and uncertainty. Why? Because we know that public sector funding is going to be under tremendous pressure to reduce the amount of services that it provides. Yes of course we will be hearing the need to look for more efficiency savings, but after many years creating efficiency savings the “cupboard” in some departments and services is bare.
So what’s the answer? In my view, it will depend on a thorough understanding of the impact on cutting front line services. This then by definition, also means that the politicians at both local and government level will also need to understand the way that public services are in many areas interdependent upon each other in order to achieve desired outcomes for both individuals and communities.
What we do know is that there is a growing demand for our services at the same time as being faced with the prospect of services being cut. Take for instance our Outreach and resettlement services working across Kent, we have had enormous success in reducing the numbers of people having to sleep rough, reconnecting those that want to be reconnected with support networks elsewhere and preventing a lot of people becoming homeless in the first place.
I only hope that the courage that brought about this service being commissioned just two years ago will be there when the temptation to look for short term fixes raises its head. Put simply, if the service did not exist there would be many more people on the street and many more in danger of losing their accommodation with no where to turn for practical help.
So to the commissioners I say please do not let us take retrograde steps and force hundreds of vulnerable people back into lives of utter despair, loneliness and abuse. This is a real possibility if services for single homeless people are cut.
Yes there is need to change, but let us do this together for the good of the most vulnerable people in our society and not look for scape goats within the client groups with the least amount of political power or support.
