Posted 30.07.13
The shortlist for the six projects nominated for the Andy Ludlow homelessness awards has been announced:
Broadway Homelessness and Support - Broadway Housing First.
Broadway Housing First offers an alternative to the traditional housing pathway for rough sleepers.
It essentially works in reverse to other schemes of this kind and moves clients into an independent flat with a secure tenancy as the first step on their journey off the streets.
Accommodation is seen as a necessary foundation for the client to begin to address their other needs when they feel ready to do so.
East London Housing Partnership - East London Single Homelessness Project.
The East London Single Homelessness Project provides what many homelessness people find is missing or out of reach: money for rent deposit combined with support to help them sustain their tenancy.
By providing this period of stability, the project helps people to settle and access training and employment.
It is aimed at single people who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness and who are not deemed to be in priority need for housing.
Hestia Housing and Support - Back on Track.
Back on Track is a training and mentoring programme for ex-offenders that is designed and delivered by ex-offenders.
With 33% of prisoners being homeless upon release, the programme helps people in their move from prison back into the community breaking the cycle of homelessness, unemployment and re-offending by following a simple four stage plan.
Look Ahead Care and Support - Learning from the Experts: customer training team.
Look Ahead's staff training programme is developed and delivered by their customers who use their experience of homelessness to help staff empathise with and relate to their clients' needs.
The training is specifically designed to give staff a real insight into what it is like to have a particular support need and means they come away better able to interact and relate to customers.
St Mungo's - Recovery College.
St Mungo's Recovery College is an innovative education programme for homeless adults.
There are no assessments or criteria to enrol and the college only accepts self-referrals. By being as accessible as possible, the College has been successful in engaging homeless people many of whom avoid education due to negative past experiences.
The Spires Centre - Spires Streetlink.
Streetlink is works with street-based sex workers and other vulnerable women with the overall aim to help them escape prostitution.
The women's needs are met through outreach and centre based services with the overall aim to support women to exit prostitution.
A total of £55,000 prize money is available to London-based projects that improve services to homeless people, prevent homelessness or tackle disadvantage caused by homelessness. The awards first prize is £30,000, with £15,000 for second and £10,000 for third place.
Judging day for shortlisted entries is 7th August and the awards ceremony will be on 17th October.
Posted 26.07.13
Submissions are being invited for the 2014 World Habitat Awards. Housing projects and approaches are sought that:
All entries are assessed and ten to twelve projects are shortlisted by an assessment committee. These shortlisted projects are then evaluated by an independent advisory group.
Evaluation visits are made to some of the shortlisted projects before recommendations are put forward to a panel of external judges.
Submissions for the 2014 competition must be received by 1st November 2013. Click here to apply online.
Posted 16.07.13
The total number of homelessness applications in Scotland has fallen by 13% and the number of households in temporary accommodation have gone down by 1%.
The statistics released by the Scottish Government show there were 39,827 homelessness applications in the year to 31 March 2013, which was 5,720 (13%) lower that the year before.
As at 31 March there were 10,594 households in temporary accommodation, being a decrease of 159 households (1%) compared to a year before.
There was a 16% rise in homelessness applications from people who had defaulted on their mortgage, from 468 in 2011/12 to 543 in 2012/13. This was the first time this number had increased since 2009/10.
