Burnley Council has formally approved a new partnership seeking to end rough sleeping in the Burnley area.
The partnership will see Stepping Stone Projects – a specialist homeless charity that provides homes and support services for those facing homelessness – setting up 10 fully furnished homes to provide overnight and temporary accommodation.
Stepping Stone Projects will also provide personalised support to help people address the issues and barriers they face in finding and sustaining homes and living independently.
Local housing associations will provide the 10 homes and will work with the at-risk individuals, Stepping Stone Projects, and Burnley Council to help find them permanent homes.
The project aims to help 60 clients over the first 12 months.
Commenting on the announcement, Stepping Stone Projects chief executive Dave Smith said: “We are delighted to extend our existing partnership working in Burnley with the council and our housing association partners, to now be able to better meet the needs of rough sleepers and to support them to find their own permanent homes and sustain independent living.
“The homes provide people with somewhere safe to sleep. We can then work with each person to help them access the individualised support they need to find a permanent solution.
“We know this model of working is successful as we are providing similar homes and services across Lancashire and Greater Manchester.
“We aim to provide more of this across the region to tackle rough sleeping.”
Read more on the homelessness crisis:
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- Riverside supports 16 rough sleepers into accommodation
- ‘Particularly disturbing’ report reveals thousands of high-risk offenders made homeless
Councillor Ivor Emo, Burnley Council’s executive member responsible for housing, added: “This is great news and a very welcome step in the right direction in terms of the support being provided to those unfortunate enough to find themselves without a roof over their head.
“Not only will this project provide a bed for the night, it will also provide much wider support and advice networks that can help people get back on track and move forward with their lives.”
The issue of homelessness and rough sleeping in Burnley has become particularly acute during the COVID-19 crisis, and it is hoped that the new homes and support will help and prevent and relieve homelessness in the area.
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