New team to help the town’s rough sleepers
ADEDICATED new team will be hitting the streets of Rochdale to help tackle rough sleeping in the town centre.
Two new outreach workers will join staff from homeless charity Petrus Community to help support those living on the streets, during the six month pilot.
Denis Skelton, co-ordinator of Petrus Community, said: “Having a team dedicated entirely to outreach work with the homeless is a fantastic new addition to the many other support services we have in the borough.
“This new team has a lot of experience in this area of work and are already linked in with the many council-commissioned homeless support agencies across the borough, so they are in the best possible position to support people on the streets.”
Council figures show the number of rough sleepers in Rochdale has fallen from 15 to eight in recent years.
Emergency accommodation, accommodation for people with complex needs, support with drug and alcohol problems and help with training and job hunting is available in Rochdale.
There are also a number of day centres, including the Petrus Hub, which provides accommodation and advice on a wide range of issues including health, debt and benefits.
The new team will engage with people and direct them to the help available.
Coun Neil Emmott, cabinet member for housing and environment, said: “We recognise that homelessness is a serious issue and something that exists in towns and cities up and down the country. We’re already working hard to prevent and tackle homelessness and this dedicated outreach team will really enhance what we do.
“As this team will be out and about every day, if vulnerable people don’t want to engage initially they can build up relationships of trust which might mean they seek support later on, at a time that is right for them.
“They will also help people navigate the system and generally act as an advocate for them. Homelessness is a complex issue with no easy solution, but this is another step in the right direction.”
The council asks anyone wishing to support people on the streets not to give money to them directly, but to visit bigchangerochdale.co.uk to find out how they can donate directly to local homelessness charities.
Anyone with concerns about rough sleepers can contact the Petrus Hub on 526289.