Housing First Launched On Merseyside
A ground-breaking scheme is set to begin work with 60 homeless people across Merseyside this week.
Chosen as one of three locations to pilot the new Housing First project, 16 staff will get to work after completing a comprehensive two-week training programme which aims to tackle homelessness based on international evidence. In the first phase of the pilot, staff will work to find homes and offer tailored support to 60 of Merseyside’s homeless.
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has been handed £7.7m from Government to run the scheme. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram told the Wirral Globe: “I have long been a champion of Housing First and ran for office on a manifesto promise to look at how we could introduce it in our city region. Housing First is based on a simple premise – the first thing that homeless people need is a decent place to live. At the same time, we have to ensure that they have the right support to tackle their further needs, which may be compounded by experiences such as trauma, abuse, addictions and mental ill health.”
“It is a simple concept but in reality it means working with partners across the public sector to change a very complex system. Our local councils are doing sterling work in tackling the immediate crises associated with homelessness, by providing emergency and temporary accommodation, but that cannot be our long-term response. Devolution gives us a once-in-a-generation chance to change how we do things and Housing First is a prime example of how we are seizing that opportunity.”
“It isn’t easy but we have worked hard to put solid foundations in place and we are committed to making it a success so that it can be rolled out across the whole country. Everyone entrenched in long-term homelessness is there because many things have gone wrong in their lives. Everyone deserves a second chance and we will write no-one off.”
In order to create a programme for Housing First the combined authority has spoken, listened and consulted people who have lived with the experience of homelessness. Strategic lead for homelessness for the combined authority Kate Farrell said: “One of the things that makes Housing First in the Liverpool City Region different is that we have ensured that people with real experience of homelessness have been involved at every stage in the process. When we conducted the first feasibility study into Homeless First we recruited peer researchers, individuals with experience of homelessness, to go out and speak to homeless people to find out about the current system and how it could be improved.”
“And we have continued to use the knowledge and expertise of people with experience of homelessness to inform every stage of our development, from research through to delivery, from advising on our approach to taking the lead on recruiting our workers. Our Lived Experience Group is at the heart of everything we do and will continue to play a vital role as we move into delivery.”
Current members of the Lived Experience Group, Mohamed, Richard and Dave have been involved in Housing First since the beginning. They said: “We feel passionate about Housing First, from being involved since day one in a number of roles such as peer researchers. Now two years later we are still actively involved and together with other group members ensuring people with varied lived experiences are contributing to the role out and delivery of Housing First. This has included working on the recruitment of support staff and commissioning of services. We are keen to ensure housing first in the Liverpool City Region adheres to the principles and core values set out in the Feasibility Study.”
