Tag: Simon Community Scotand

World Homelessness Day: Charity warns of increase in rough sleeping in Scottish cities

SURGE IN DEMAND FOR SIMON COMMUNITY SCOTLAND’s SUPPORT SERVICES

On World Homeless Day (10 October), Simon Community Scotland, Scotland’s leading homeless charity, is warning of an unprecedented surge in demand for their services.

Over 100 people are estimated to be rough sleeping each night in Scotland’s two biggest cities. At a recent count, where Simon Community volunteers combed city centres late at night, they located and supported 80 people sleeping rough in Edinburgh, and 35 people in Glasgow, with this single evening snapshot reflecting the scale of the challenge faced by the charity.

This number also does not include those housed in emergency shelters or temporary accommodation. Driven by the cost of living crisis, the charity reports that the number of people rough sleeping in Scotland is continuing to spiral, with no end in sight.

Simon Community has witnessed a nearly 20% increase in people seeking their help, placing a huge demand on their frontline support team.

In September alone, at Simon Community Scotland’s Glasgow Access Hub – one of their two hubs across Scotland – the team handled over 2,000 support requests, including helping people with accommodation needs, benefits, legal and financial advice, and wellbeing challenges. 

Gillian Drysdale, Service Lead at the Edinburgh Support Hub, said: “Our team saved lives last winter. We got through some dark times. This winter is set to be even darker. It’s only October and our frontline teams are feeling it. We are seeing 100 people a day through the door of our Hub.”

To help cope with increased demand, the charity is today launching an emergency appeal titled ‘A Safe Place’, reflecting how the provision of safe places is crucial to helping people facing homelessness. 

The charity provides end-to-end support, including street teams on the front line, who build relationships and direct people to further support, right through to Simon Community owned properties, which give people a permanent tenancy. 

Simon Community Scotland are looking to raise £200,000 with this emergency appeal, with funds directed to their safe places, including community hubs, street teams and accommodation, as well as basic life essentials for people they support, including; warm winter clothing, food parcels and toiletries.

Lorraine McGrath, CEO for Simon Community Scotland, said: “The number of people our frontline teams are supporting is reaching record levels, again. Last year we helped over 8,000 people and this year we are set to support over 9,500.

“We’re doing our very best to provide people with a safe place to access support and keep people safe from harm. But we are very stretched and desperately need more help. Whether you can support us as an organisation or as an individual, please consider supporting Simon Community Scotland’s ‘A Safe Place’ appeal.”

Fiona Williamson, Head of Services in Edinburgh, said: “Safe places for people experiencing homelessness has never been more important.

“In our hubs, emergency accommodation service, our own SCS Homes and through outreach support we can provide a safe place for people to talk, to listen, to heal, to build trust, to be. Safe places for a few moments, or for years.”

The charity has support hubs, street teams, accommodation and helplines across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth and North Lanarkshire, employing 275 staff and a team of 100 volunteers. 

This winter, Simon Community Scotland are increasing their efforts and are calling on the public to help prevent more casualties from homelessness. 

Lorraine McGrath, CEO, said: “If you see someone you are concerned about, please call our freephone in Edinburgh 0808 178 2323 & Glasgow 0800 027 7466.

“If you can, please consider making a donation to our ‘A Safe Place’ appeal by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/asafeplace” 

The latest warning from Simon Community Scotland follows the release of the Scottish Government 2022/23 Homelessness in Scotland statistics which highlighted that there were 39,006 applications for homelessness across the country, a 9% increase on the previous year.

Over 32,000 households were assessed as being homeless, including over 16,000 children. 

Dog owners experiencing homelessness given vital lifeline by charity partnership

A year-long partnership between the UK’s largest dog welfare charity Dogs Trust and leading homelessness charity Simon Community Scotland, has successfully increased accommodation and support options for dog owners experiencing homelessness in Scotland.

Through engagement with homelessness service providers in Scotland, a total of 30 have signed up since the launch of the project to develop dog-friendly policies and begin accepting referrals from dog-owners. 

This includes three charities that have developed a charity wide pet-policy, and the project continues to support their services across the country to welcome pet owners. Launched in September 2020, the jointly funded role between the two charities was developed to ensure that fewer dog owners in Scotland have to make the heart-breaking choice between a safe place to sleep or staying with their dog.  

The findings from Dogs Trust and Simon Community Scotland’s partnership highlighted that a lack of pet-friendly policies in homelessness accommodation services is a significant problem for those facing homelessness.

The charities’ joint dedicated, 1-year Pets and Housing Project has been working with homelessness organisations across Scotland to provide tailored support so they can remove barriers and open their doors to dog owners through the ‘Welcoming Dogs’ scheme operated by Dogs Trust.  

One person who has benefitted from the work of the project is Damon, who became homeless when the only hostel space he was offered wouldn’t accept dogs. He feared he would need to give his dog up. Damon describes how Odan saved his life. 

Damon said: “I needed a reason to get out of bed in the morning, I was losing grip on life and I didn’t want to live anymore. Odan has been an absolute godsend to me, and he has completely changed my outlook on life. Odan gives me the energy I needed to push forward with my life, he has given me something to fight for. 

“It means everything to be with Odan. I wish I had the words to express how it feels. Dogs pick up from us how we are feeling, and they know if we’re not happy. The reason that Odan settled, is because I am settled here. It has made a big difference to us to be made to feel so welcomed. “

With support from Simon Community Scotland and Dogs Trust, Damon was able stay with Odan thanks to the local authority arranging pet-friendly emergency accommodation for them. Damon and Odan have since moved into their own tenancy together. 

Cat Birt, Pets and Housing Engagement and Development Officer, who leads on the Pets and Housing Project, said: “I’m really proud of everything that has been achieved over the last year, despite the challenges we have faced as a result of the pandemic, and it has been great to see first-hand how our work has impacted people’s lives.  

“For people facing homelessness, they are more likely to be isolated and detached from society and their pet can be the most loving and consistent relationship they have. We are a nation of dog lovers, and know how pets enrich our lives, so it is vitally important homelessness services recognise the importance of the human animal bond and make changes to their policies, so they provide a service inclusive of pet owners.  

“Thanks to the commitments we have already had by organisations in Scotland to become more pet-friendly, we know our approach is working, but there is more to be done. Thankfully, there is an opportunity for us to roll this project out more widely across the UK and help even more dog owners in need.” 

Hugh Hill, Director of Services and Development at Simon Community Scotland, said: ‘’At the heart of the project was recognising the incredibly positive bond between a dog and their human and the positive difference it made for people at their lowest ebb.

“The impact of Covid-19 has been challenging but what it did do was really highlight the importance of positive, meaningful and loving relationships in all our lives and for the people we support they often only experienced that connection with their dog. Every one of our services is dog-friendly and we will continue to share our approach and resources to any organisation looking to welcome our furry friends.’’ 

A comprehensive report covering the Pets and Housing Project between Dogs Trust and Simon Community Scotland, has been compiled which highlights the progress made over the last year along with findings and recommendations to help ensure that people and their pets can continue to stay together. The full report is available by clicking here.

Dogs Trust will be building on the amazing progress of this project with two new regional roles dedicated to increasing accommodation and support options for dog owners experiencing homelessness and is calling on more homelessness services across Great Britain to adopt a pet-friendly approach. Dogs Trust can support services through their Welcoming Dogs scheme, providing tailored advice and resources on accepting and managing dogs in a safe and responsible way, as well as through the Hope Project veterinary scheme which provides free veterinary treatment.  

For more information about the Hope Project, or to enquire about accessing their support, you can reach the team on 020 7833 7611 or by email hopeproject@dogstrust.org.uk.  

Street Cycles team launched in Edinburgh

A LEADING homelessness charity is making a concerted effort to completely
eliminate rough sleeping in Edinburgh, by providing bikes to its volunteer
support teams, so they can see more people in any given period of time.

By Simon Community Scotland’s own estimations, rough sleeping in the
capital is at an all-time low, and the charity is replicating a highly successful Street Cycles team model from its base in Glasgow to Edinburgh, after having recruited 12 volunteers to provide support to people at risk of, or currently, rough sleeping.

Help includes connecting people with services such as health and accommodation and providing basic essentials like food, clothing, telephones, sanitary products and, most importantly, showing that someone cares and that no-one should feel they are on their own.

The charity’s fundraising has allowed it to purchase eBikes and the move to add Edinburgh to the Glasgow bike service follows Simon Community Scotland chief executive, Lorraine McGrath, also becoming CEO of well-known Edinburgh homelessness charity, Streetwork.

The eBikes not only allow volunteers to see more people during any given
time period but to extend their reach, beyond the city centre. The
volunteers, who have all received dedicated training, come from a wide
background, including health, law, corporate finance, education and
retail.

Training includes the administration of opioid antidote, Naloxone, and also CPR.

The service is officially launching, today: Thursday March 4.

One of the volunteers is Jill Reilly. She first became involved with Streetwork during the COVID-19 lockdown, helping make meals in a hotel used in the city to accommodate people who were homeless.

Jill said: “The Naloxone training is a potential life-saver. But, more generally, getting to know people and to hear their stories, makes me realise why I got involved, as a volunteer, in the first place. 

“I like walking, but I think I prefer cycling, and the bikes should allow me to see more people. The main thing, of course, is to help people find secure, if necessary supported, accommodation. When that happens, it feels like a real achievement.”

The charity is seeking to recruit more volunteers plus partners who can provide bike storage and maintenance facilities.

Hugh Hill, director of Services & Development at Simon Community Scotland, said: “Edinburgh has seen a dramatic fall in people rough sleeping in the city.

“Streetwork, along with key Third Sector partners and The City of Edinburgh Council, have worked throughout the pandemic, supporting people into safe accommodation.

“We are determined to see that no-one ever has to sleep on our cities’ streets. Our brand-new cycle outreach service is powered not just by electric motors but, cucially, by our volunteers working hand in glove with Streetwork’s existing street outreach team.”