Tackling Homelessness in Wales - £1.05m funding LA Programme

Overview How it happened Overall aims Focussed areas Key projects Conclusions

How it happened £1,050,000 revenue funding available for announced in draft budget in October Network went straight to WAG to investigate what this was Possible projects discussed at Network in Oct Potential projects forwarded to WAG Meeting with Ceri Breeze, where ‘non-bidding’ process was agreed Network in January looked at refining proposals, included in overarching ‘Project Initiation Document’ Programme drawn up, each LA encouraged to get on board, submitted in March

Overall Aims Utilise the funding over a one year period, but ensure it has a long term impact Use the funding as ‘spend to save’. i.e. save money in the longer term Incorporate business models into the services we provide, i.e. sustainable models – not grant reliant Be creative and cooperate across boundaries Share learning, experience, etc.

Focused areas Raising awareness of how and where to seek advice and assistance for those who are threatened with homelessness, in housing debt, etc. Improving how local authorities and their partners advise on, and prevent homelessness and increase social inclusion for all those at threat of homelessness within the community Improving access to the private rented sector for all those who are homeless, threatened with homelessness or in housing need

Key projects – Web Tool Purpose To develop a web tool across Wales (based on the Cardiff development) and help raise awareness across the country of the availability of different housing tenures How it will work Funding drawn down by Cardiff, redirected to Carms and Wrexham who will develop in their respective regions across every LA of Wales Threats Timescales, engagement of each LA, IT ‘response’

Key Projects – Systems Thinking Purpose To explore what it is service users want to draw from the housing options service and then develop a system that operates in a way that focuses on these expectations and obliterates waste How it will work Swansea will draw down funding and then NPT, Monmouthshire, Wrexham, Ceredigion & Swansea will commission consultant to undertake ‘systems thinking review’ Threats Timescales (we get bogged down in procurement), senior management support within housing, the engagement of agencies

Key Projects – Cultural change in Young People’s Projects Purpose Drive change in how we deliver services to young homeless people and listen and respond to service users in terms of how they want to progress in their lives How it will work Targeted areas – Mon, Pembs, Gwynedd, Flintshire / Time banking / Llamau project management / Feasibility studies on how we take this forward / business planning / fundraising expertise Risks Involvement of young people, feasibility, rents in supported housing, threatened support providers

Key Projects – Supported Housing Gateways Purpose To explore how we can most effectively utilise existing supported housing in each city so that it is focussed at providing housing and support to those in the most acute need How it will work Newport to draw down funding and redirect share to Swansea & Cardiff Threats Timescales, provider reluctance, extra bureaucracy

Other Projects Denbighshire EHO RCT and Merthyr E-Learning DA Southwark (National) Film on Youth Homelessness (National) Furniture recycling (SE Wales) Linking with New Day (Mid & West Wales) PRS

Key Projects – Accessing the PRS Key Purpose To ‘pump-prime’ organisations to help develop a social lettings model in every area of Wales How it will work Agorfa (Denbs, Conwy & Powys), Charter (Newport, Torfaen & Mon), NPT CBC and Merthyr & BG CBC’s Threats Viability, future of bond schemes, DWP review, HALS, etc.

Conclusions