Our support team are still speaking on a daily basis with people experiencing homelessness who are housed in hotels. While some are adjusting well to their new environment others are not and there are always new problems arising.

The looming deadline on their accommodation, which for some is becoming a home of sorts, is causing people to worry some are already considering leaving as they don’t see the point in remaining. Our support team are reassuring people about their move on plans and they are also working on those plans so that they have secured accommodation before the end of the supported accommodation provided by the council.

Our Head of Support, Stephen, is especially concerned for people who are new to homelessness and have been fortunate to have been housed by the council through this lockdown . Creating a move on plan is especially important for these people who have spent very few or no nights on the street and have been shielded somewhat from the emotional toil that rough sleeping has on someone.

Our support team are still making great success stories Jenna, our support worker, has been on outreach through the lockdown connecting rough sleepers with accommodation. She says: “This man had been homeless and rough sleeping one week when I first met him. After housing him with a hotel I have still been keeping regular contact with him. We were able to help him move to a lower need project, which is more suited to his needs and are now looking at taking him onto our resettlement programme. There are a few barriers in his way which are making things a little more difficult, but primarily this is his pet dog. We are trying to find landlords who will accept his dog but until we can secure this, I am having regular catch ups to provide support in other areas of his life."

If you are or know a landlord who allows pets please get in touch; housing this person in a home of his own with his beloved dog would be the start of a new chapter for him.

Jenna has also been involved in our resettlement work; she would not normally do this as a support worker who works with people while they are still experiencing homelessness. Jenna has really enjoyed this as she has had the chance “to speak and catch up with people I worked with about a year ago when they were rough sleeping – and now they are in their own properties!”

Our CEO Yvonne has been on outreach through this lockdown. One man who she met and referred into accommodation has now been housed for 2 weeks and is actively seeking work with an interview coming up soon.

Like everyone we have had to adapt to life with Corona virus. Some of those changes have been quite difficult and feel as though we are walking blind. However, we have faith in what lies ahead and we know that we will continue to adapt and keep supporting people in the coming months.