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Kent is one of 19 communities to get a grant to ensure nobody is forced to sleep on the streets for more than one night.
Kent-based homelessness charity Porchlight has been successfully awarded £250,000 to adopt No Second Night Out* – an initiative that aims to ensure that anyone who ends up on the streets gets helped quickly so they don’t spend a second night out.
Porchlight awarded £250k to ensure no on spends a second night on the streets.
Announced today, the grant is part of an £8m pot being awarded by the Homelessness Transition Fund to 41 projects that aim to help ensure that no one lives on our streets.
The £20m independent Fund was set up to help support the national rough sleeping strategy vision to end rough sleeping: No Second Night Out nationwide.
Administered by umbrella organisation Homeless Link, the Fund received 190 applications from charities wanting to protect key homelessness services and adopt initiatives like No Second Night Out.
Porchlight has seen a 93% increase in the number of referrals to their rough sleeper service in the past year. However, the existing service is being re-commissioned with funding cut by 75% next year making it difficult for them to meet increasing demand.
From February 2012 Porchlight will receive £250,000 over 12 months to support new rough sleepers. The Homeless Transition Funding will give Porchlight the opportunity to refocus existing services for rough sleepers, establishing seven hubs across the county that provide vital support to address health, debt and housing needs of those people sleeping rough. They will work in partnership with all local authorities in Kent and Medway, as well as a range of other agencies and charities to enable them to do this.
Their 24 hour Helpline (0800 567 7699) will continue to be an easy point of access for the general public to let them know if they see anyone who is sleeping rough.
Chris Coffey, Strategic Manager for Outreach at Porchlight, says:
“Porchlight is delighted to be chosen as one of the organisations to receive a grant from the Homelessness Transition Fund. This grant will enable us to continue to deliver vital services to people who are sleeping rough in Kent and Medway, at a time when other funding is being cut.
“Porchlight will be working in partnership with the 13 local authorities in Kent and Medway to create a Reactive Outreach Service which will be responsive to those who are new to sleeping on the streets, supporting the principles of No Second Night Out.
“We will also be seeking volunteers to help us deliver this service. This involvement from the local community is vital to ensuring that we reach people who need our help as quickly as possible.”
Welcoming the news, Housing Minister Grant Shapps said:
“When economic times are tough, protecting the most vulnerable in society becomes even more important.
“That’s why we have dedicated £8 million to extend No Second Night Out outside the capital and make sure that anyone who finds themselves on the streets quickly gets the help they need.
“I’m delighted that vulnerable people in Kent have £250,000 of extra help to make sure that they will never need to spend more than one night sleeping rough. A safe, warm place to stay is something that everyone should be able to rely on.”
Commenting, Sharon Allen, Chair of the Fund’s Grants Panel said:
“In these difficult times, the funding announced today will help charities provide the vital support that many homeless people need to get back on their feet.”
“The quality of applications and demand for help was extremely high. However, I am pleased that these grants will help protect essential services and develop new, more effective ways to stop people living on our streets.”
MEDIA CONTACTS
Hannah Cornford, Senior Communications Officer, Homeless Link: 020 7840 4467, 07572832977, Hannah.cornford@homeless.org.uk
Mark Parry, Communications and Press Officer, Porchlight: 01227 813196, 07734595308, MarkParry@porchlight.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
*No Second Night Out
In their strategy: ‘Vision for ending rough sleeping: No Second Night Out’, launched in July, the Government called on every local authority to adopt the ‘No Second Night Out’ standard, working in partnership with charities, statutory services and the public.
The standard is based on having the right services in place, so that: New rough sleepers can be identified and helped off the streets immediately; The public can alert services if they see anyone sleeping rough so they get help; Rough sleepers can go to a place of safety, where their needs can be assessed and they can get help; Rough sleepers are able to get emergency accommodation and other services they need; and rough sleepers from outside an area can be reconnected with their community, where they can be near family and friends, and can get housing and support.
www.nosecondnightout.org.uk
Find out more about Homeless Transition Fund and see a full list of grants
Date of release: 19th December 2011
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