By HANNAH RODGER
DOZENS of the city’s most vulnerable rough sleepers are to receive support to help them break out of the homeless cycle.
The City Ambition Network (CAN) is to extend their current project after receiving a £430,000 cash boost.
CAN’s next target will be to reach 70 of the city’s most vulnerable homeless people, many of whom may not want to be accommodated but need support in other ways.
The funding has been donated from American philanthropic firm the Oak Foundation.
CAN is made up of homelessness charities and statutory services, and works with people stuck in the cycle of homelessness, substance misuse and often have mental health difficulties.
It is a collaboration between Simon Community Scotland, Glasgow City Mission, The Marie Trust and the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership.
The groups will use the funding to support some of the estimated 1000 rough sleepers who, for various reasons, find themselves on the streets every year and whose life expectancy can be as low as 47 – half that of the general population.
They are to hire extra staff and researchers to focus on helping rough sleepers who need a “consistent and intensive approach.”
Lorraine McGrath, chief executive at Simon Community Scotland: “By working together across the city, staff from our different agencies are able to support people into safe and secure accommodation.
“Service users being supported by CAN tell us they have a really strong sense of being cared for in ways they have not experienced for a long time for many this has helped them break their in and out of rough sleeping.”
Every month the Simon Community’s Street Team works with around 150 rough sleepers, and they see around 40 new cases every month.
One of those is Karen, a woman who has spent years on the street after a difficult childhood which led on to alcohol misuse. Lorraine said: “A home was just the start for Karen, getting treatment for her mental health, support with her alcohol use and maintaining her belief in herself took a lot of time and expertise.
“Karen has been in her home for five months, the longest period off the streets in 10 years.
“Over the next three years, the grant from the Oak Foundation will be invested in helping people like Karen find peace of mind, safety, a secure place to live.
Grant Campbell, chief executive, Glasgow City Mission said: “The complexities behind the phenomenon that is rough sleeping are often overlooked. If it was an easy fix it would have happened by now.
“What the City Ambition Network has been able to achieve might appear small to the casual observer, but to those in the homelessness sector, the joined-up ‘never let go’ approach to individuals dealing with chaotic lifestyles has been powerful.”
Eric Steel, head of Homelessness at Glasgow City Council, said: “The CAN initiative is an innovative and inspiring approach to tackling the very real challenges people face and Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership is pleased to be working in partnership with the voluntary sector in improving outcomes for our most vulnerable citizens.”
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