12
205 initiative 7
Initiatives
185
No Second Night Out, Works in partnership with agencies, Focus on entrenched rough sleepers
Support
Working in partnership 8
contacted 1
74
referred 3
Proactive street support to rough sleepers, Provides an immediate response. Encourages engagement, Reduces numbers of people sleeping rough
Outreach 1,281
assisted 2
Facilities
20
engaged 4
84% happy 5
26% increase 6
Morning & night shifts, Operates 7 days a week
“The Connection’s Outreach team has supported me and helped me find a flat. I’ve had to fight for it though because I didn’t want to go back to a hostel, I’ve had some bad experiences in that type of accommodation.” Sean. 1
2
3
4
5
The Outreach team goes out on shifts in the morning and at night, seven days a week, and has made contact with 1,281 people sleeping rough over the year. 185 people were helped into accommodation including hostels, private rented and local authority housing. 74 people were referred to specialist mental health, substance misuse and other healthcare services. On an average street shift the team engages with 20 people, encouraging them to access The Connection so we can help them move away from the streets. 84% of homeless people were happy with the service they received from the Outreach team.
6
7
8
There has been a 26% increase in the number of people sleeping rough in London, but the team is effectively managing the flow of new arrivals by moving people off the streets quickly so they don’t become entrenched and adopt a homeless lifestyle. The team is also continuing to focus its attention on entrenched rough sleepers through the 205 initiative which provides a personalised response helping all 205 individuals address their homelessness. Almost all of the 205 people have made excellent progress. The team is working in conjunction with the SSHU (Safer Streets Homeless Unit), a dedicated unit of the Met Police at Charing Cross, by going on joint outreach shifts every month. The SSHU is working with us to identify problematic rough sleepers and reduce anti-social behaviour to make the streets of Westminster a safer place for the community and businesses. We work together on shifts to monitor some of the most vulnerable rough sleepers, ensuring they are safe and not in any immediate danger. The SSHU add value to our Outreach service and their support is paying dividends in helping us reduce the number of rough sleepers and incidents of anti-social behaviour.