What is the Streets to Home partnership?
The partnership shares information and resources between its partners who support and prevent homelessness. It has been running since April 2022 and is funded by Cambridgeshire County Council and Cambridge City Council.
The best chance for someone experiencing homelessness to get off the streets, and stay off the streets, is with professional support. This support should provide the individual with help to find the best accommodation to suit their individual needs, provide the right combination of support services and include a planned onward pathway for them to live more independently.
Streets to Home shares information and resources on placement availability and different individual cases in order to identify the best match solutions for homeless people and improve the probability of success of a placement.
How does it work?
Who's involved?
Provides both accommodation and a wide range of support services
Accommodation and support for women aged 18-65
Manages over 100 single private rooms of supported accommodation for men and women operating on a tiered model to meet different levels of need
Accommodation and service providers for homeless people, working with partners to make an informed and appropriate decision regarding solutions
The front-line team guides and supports individuals experiencing rough sleeping within the City of Cambridge who are either on the street, or at the Wintercomfort day centre
An information, advice, training and daytime support centre in Cambridge for those who are homeless or vulnerably housed
Services
Success Stories
NB: some details have been changed to protect identities
Andy's story
Andy (37) had been sleeping rough for some time, and was in prison serving a short sentence, when the Streets to Home partners met to consider his situation. By first working together, and then with Andy through a video interview, the group identified suitable accommodation and support services for him to move on to after his release. The Street Outreach Team was suddenly made aware that Andy had been released ahead of the confirmed date and would be on the streets that evening without support. Although the pre-determined room wasn’t ready for him, the partnership was able to offer him a short-term bed at Jimmy’s night shelter to avoid him returning to rough sleeping while waiting for his longer-term room to be ready. By working together we helped Andy avoid spending a night on the street.
Resources
Through the Streets to Home partners, those in need can access support with a broad range of issues. Streets to Home works together to help people who are already sleeping rough, as well as people at risk of homelessness, by focusing on identifying the “best match” solutions to meet the needs of the individuals by providing access to a seamless support network.
The best chance for a homeless person to get off the streets and stay off the streets is with professional help through the right combination of support services and a planned onward pathway for them to live independently. By sharing information and resources on placement availability and different individual cases, the partnership is able to identify the best placement solutions for homeless people and improve the probability of long-term success of a placement. Sharing case information also reduces the burden on vulnerable people using the services of explaining their story at each interaction with a new organisation or agency. Moreover, sharing placement availability of different types of accommodation enables quick identification of “best match” solutions for people.
