Greater Manchester Housing First pilot receives £6.31million funding boost
The Greater Manchester Housing First partnership has been chosen to continue to deliver the regional Housing First programme across Greater Manchester.
Following a competitive tender exercise, the cross sectoral partnership, led by Great Places Housing Group, has been selected to continue its work in helping people progress in their recovery journey.
The partners are:
- Great Places (lead)
- Riverside
- Jigsaw
- Stockport Homes Group
- Petrus
- Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
- The Bond Board
- MASH
- Community-Led Initiatives
- Early Break
- Humankind
- Creative Inclusion
Throughout the last three years, this partnership and a wider network of organisations across Greater Manchester, including the Greater Manchester Housing Providers, has helped to create a robust network of services across the region to ensure people got support and access to services as and when needed.
The Government-funded pilot, one of the three testing the Housing First model at scale in the country, began in 2019 and has supported 330 people into homes of their own, with a tenancy sustainment rate of 82 per cent.
The new £6.31million funding will allow the partnership to help those on the programme to continue to flourish with wraparound support to ensure that recovery can be maintained.
Mental Health Support
The Dual Diagnosis service within Housing First is delivered by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH). The team comprises of Dual Diagnosis Practitioners (DDPs), who work across Manchester; Bolton, Bury & Rochdale; Oldham, Tameside & Stockport; and Salford, Trafford and Wigan; further supported by psychiatrists and a psychologist, to support people with dual housing and health needs.
The DDPs work with service users and staff to support recovery, engagement and understanding of the complex challenges for people with dual diagnosis needs and those who support them. Their work includes engagement, assessment, and support to help them access the right services at the right time.
Adam Clayton, Operational Manager for Homeless Services at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust said:
“Evidence suggests there are considerable links between homelessness and health inequalities, including mental health and addictions. 80% of homeless people in England reported that they had mental health issues1.The most prevalent health problems among homeless individuals are substance use and mental health, with 42.6% of the population believed to suffer with cooccurring needs2. Having the health offer as part of the Greater Manchester Housing First project, enables us to work directly with the wider partnership to considerer a collaborative approach to meeting the needs of individuals at the time they need that support and in a place that is right for them.
“We are excited and feel very fortunate to be able to continue working within the Greater Manchester Housing First Partnership. We have learnt so much together in the first three years of the pilot and being able to translate that learning into practice and continue to enhance what we are able to offer together, for the benefit of people accessing the project is an amazing opportunity.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:
“Housing First is an absolutely integral pillar of our comprehensive efforts to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness across our city-region, so it’s great to see that the Greater Manchester Housing First Partnership will be leading this vital work going forward.
“The Government has recognised the success of our three-year pilot and the positive impact it has made to the lives of 330 people. Extending the programme means we can build on the success of this partnership model, continuing to offer good housing and wraparound support that will help people get their lives back on track and get on.
“These are the kinds of interventions that make a real difference to tackling the ongoing crises of housing and homelessness – crises that risk deteriorating even further as a result of the severe economic climate. Now that Housing First has been extended, we stand ready to work with the Government to secure more investment and deliver the types and tenures of homes that are desperately needed.”
Programme Lead, Emily Cole said she was delighted to be able to continue delivering the regional programme as a partnership and continue the huge progress already made in implementing the model at scale in Greater Manchester.
She said:
“The initial pilot has made huge progress and is having a real impact on people’s lives across the region. The scale of which should not be underestimated especially within the context of a global pandemic.
“Building the partnership and sharing learning from delivery over the last three years has ensured we have a robust network of services and organisations who have been able to help the people on the programme get access to the accommodation and services they needed to progress in their recovery journeys.
“We look forward to be able to build on the great work we have done over the first three years, influence system change and continue to build a body of evidence that proves beyond all reasonable doubt that the model works and should be central to the Government’s strategy to combat homelessness.”
Matt Harrison, Chief Executive of lead partner Great Places Housing Group, said:
“We are delighted that the partnership has been successful in being awarded the new funding. What has been achieved has been nothing short of remarkable given the circumstances under which colleagues were operating.
“The new funding will allow the partnership to help people on the programme to the end of their recovery journey, a point where they no longer need intensive support to help them sustain their tenancies and live happy, independent lives.
“This is a great result for the partnership and the team and we are excited to see what happens over the next two years.”
For more information about GMHF, visit: www.gmhousingfirst.org.uk.
References
- Homeless Link. (2014). The unhealthy state of homelessness: Health audit results 2014. Retrieved from homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/ The%20unhealthy%20state%20of%20homelessness%20 FINAL.pdf
- Department for Communities and Local Government. (2012). Evidence review of the costs of homelessness. Retrieved from gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/7596/2200485.pdf
