Collaborative services against homelessness
Collaborative services against homelessness
Author
Introduction
In Britain today over 320,000 people are homeless and this number is steadily rising. Some 597 people died while destitute in 2017. Many services exist for the homeless, but they usually lack resources of all kinds – especially funding. In this situation of increasing need and decreasing support, one way ahead is to explore collaborative working between different services.
2020 Award
Amy Varle (CF 2016) is a housing consultant and homelessness campaigner who experienced homelessness herself as a teenager. She has been hugely instrumental in implementing the model in the UK and in 2017 was tasked with leading the creation of a flagship centre for homeless people in Manchester. These plans have been expanded and she is now working with her network to create a number of these centres across the country.
Amy has been awarded one of our Activate grants to set up a ‘mastermind group’ of cross-sector practitioners, who can come together and deliver best practice models for reducing homelessness across the country. Amy’s aim is for each of the major UK cities to have a flagship centre for homelessness resolution, accessible 24 hours a day to any person experiencing homelessness. Each would focus on the specific needs of the local area and community, linking into best practice from local providers, as well as being part of a more extensive network of expertise, guidance, education and support, and encompassing a global tech gathering of practitioners. Once Covid-19 restrictions permit, Amy aims to support a minimum of 15 organisations to participate in the project. She will develop this through networking events and workshops, each focusing on best practice techniques for homelessness resolution. She will collect data on best practice, review existing services, and develop a technology-based assistance toolkit for services, providing up-to-date practical advice and support.
Amy’s Fellowship to the USA investigated pioneering strategies for homelessness prevention and response.
2020 Award
Amy Varle (CF 2016) is a housing consultant and homelessness campaigner who experienced homelessness herself as a teenager. She has been hugely instrumental in implementing the model in the UK and in 2017 was tasked with leading the creation of a flagship centre for homeless people in Manchester. These plans have been expanded and she is now working with her network to create a number of these centres across the country.
Amy has been awarded one of our Activate grants to set up a ‘mastermind group’ of cross-sector practitioners, who can come together and deliver best practice models for reducing homelessness across the country. Amy’s aim is for each of the major UK cities to have a flagship centre for homelessness resolution, accessible 24 hours a day to any person experiencing homelessness. Each would focus on the specific needs of the local area and community, linking into best practice from local providers, as well as being part of a more extensive network of expertise, guidance, education and support, and encompassing a global tech gathering of practitioners. Once Covid-19 restrictions permit, Amy aims to support a minimum of 15 organisations to participate in the project. She will develop this through networking events and workshops, each focusing on best practice techniques for homelessness resolution. She will collect data on best practice, review existing services, and develop a technology-based assistance toolkit for services, providing up-to-date practical advice and support.
Amy’s Fellowship to the USA investigated pioneering strategies for homelessness prevention and response.