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| A crucial first step on the road to ending homelessness in Liverpool | A crucial first step on the road to ending homelessness in Liverpool |
| (7 months later) | |
| Last week the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, joined me in signing up to the national campaign to end rough sleeping and made a public pledge that Liverpool city council will continue to work hard to tackle homelessness. | Last week the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, joined me in signing up to the national campaign to end rough sleeping and made a public pledge that Liverpool city council will continue to work hard to tackle homelessness. |
| In the midst of a recession, when the latest government figures show that homelessness is steadily rising across the UK, some might think this is a brave statement. For us, it's what we do every day. It's simple: we believe that the most vulnerable people in society should not bear the brunt of our country's economic problems. | In the midst of a recession, when the latest government figures show that homelessness is steadily rising across the UK, some might think this is a brave statement. For us, it's what we do every day. It's simple: we believe that the most vulnerable people in society should not bear the brunt of our country's economic problems. |
| That's why in February the Liverpool City Region – a partnership of six neighbouring councils – became the first area outside of London to launch the No Second Night Out campaign. | That's why in February the Liverpool City Region – a partnership of six neighbouring councils – became the first area outside of London to launch the No Second Night Out campaign. |
| There might be a million reasons why someone sleeps rough for the first time, but No Second Night Out (NSNO) makes sure they do not have to sleep out a second time. And it works: no one who has been referred to NSNO in Liverpool has had to spend a second night on the streets. | There might be a million reasons why someone sleeps rough for the first time, but No Second Night Out (NSNO) makes sure they do not have to sleep out a second time. And it works: no one who has been referred to NSNO in Liverpool has had to spend a second night on the streets. |
| This success does not happen overnight. It has been the outcome of hard work by dedicated people, setting up the right services so that new rough sleepers can be identified and helped off the streets immediately. | This success does not happen overnight. It has been the outcome of hard work by dedicated people, setting up the right services so that new rough sleepers can be identified and helped off the streets immediately. |
| In practice this means six local authority areas working together to offer 24 hour services and getting the public involved in connecting rough sleepers to these services. For many this introduced a new way of thinking, and change of this scale can be tough. | In practice this means six local authority areas working together to offer 24 hour services and getting the public involved in connecting rough sleepers to these services. For many this introduced a new way of thinking, and change of this scale can be tough. |
| For those working throughout the night to make sure that someone with nowhere to go does not have to sleep on our streets, it can also be a thankless task. As homelessness figures rise, so do the headlines, and it may seem like the work you're doing is a drop in the ocean. | For those working throughout the night to make sure that someone with nowhere to go does not have to sleep on our streets, it can also be a thankless task. As homelessness figures rise, so do the headlines, and it may seem like the work you're doing is a drop in the ocean. |
| As the Guardian Northerner reported just last week, the number of people making a homelessness application in Liverpool has risen by 17% from July 2011 to June 2012 compared to the same period the previous year. It's important to remember that those making an application are not yet living on the streets, but could be at risk of rough sleeping if they do not get the support they need now. | As the Guardian Northerner reported just last week, the number of people making a homelessness application in Liverpool has risen by 17% from July 2011 to June 2012 compared to the same period the previous year. It's important to remember that those making an application are not yet living on the streets, but could be at risk of rough sleeping if they do not get the support they need now. |
| This is where more work needs to be done. Research by umbrella charity Homeless Link has shown that 57% of rough sleepers seek help from services such as mental health or criminal justice before they sleep out. Preventing homelessness and rough sleeping is about working together across these services to ensure that, as the Government says in their latest homelessness strategy, we are 'Making Every Contact Count'. | This is where more work needs to be done. Research by umbrella charity Homeless Link has shown that 57% of rough sleepers seek help from services such as mental health or criminal justice before they sleep out. Preventing homelessness and rough sleeping is about working together across these services to ensure that, as the Government says in their latest homelessness strategy, we are 'Making Every Contact Count'. |
| This is exactly what Liverpool and our surrounding partners will be working towards achieving beyond 2012. No Second Night Out will remain essential to ensuring those who end up on our streets do not have to stay there, and for many areas implementing NSNO it will be their crucial first step on the road to tackling homelessness. | This is exactly what Liverpool and our surrounding partners will be working towards achieving beyond 2012. No Second Night Out will remain essential to ensuring those who end up on our streets do not have to stay there, and for many areas implementing NSNO it will be their crucial first step on the road to tackling homelessness. |
| Once in place, however, the next step is to make sure that no on arrives on our streets in the first place. | Once in place, however, the next step is to make sure that no on arrives on our streets in the first place. |
| More than 30 areas across the country are currently working towards NSNO. Here are my top steps for implementing No Second Night Out in your area. | More than 30 areas across the country are currently working towards NSNO. Here are my top steps for implementing No Second Night Out in your area. |
1. Establish who the main partners are: could include the voluntary sector, housing options, police, health and other local authorities. | 1. Establish who the main partners are: could include the voluntary sector, housing options, police, health and other local authorities. |
| 2. Identify scale of the problem: all local services will have information on who they work with. Share this information with your partners. | 2. Identify scale of the problem: all local services will have information on who they work with. Share this information with your partners. |
| 3. Establish your vision: be clear on what you want to achieve and by when and set realistic goals. Services in Liverpool aimed to help 500 people in the first year of the initiative, but ended up helping more than that in the project's first six months. | 3. Establish your vision: be clear on what you want to achieve and by when and set realistic goals. Services in Liverpool aimed to help 500 people in the first year of the initiative, but ended up helping more than that in the project's first six months. |
| 4. Identify the tools and services you need: ask yourself, do you offer a practical range of services for rough sleepers and where are the gaps? Could you apply for any funding to support you? | 4. Identify the tools and services you need: ask yourself, do you offer a practical range of services for rough sleepers and where are the gaps? Could you apply for any funding to support you? |
| 5. Implement your services: Work together to develop and implement the services you have identified. We were funded by the Homeless Transition Fund to set up a 24 hour hub where rough sleepers can get access to all the services they need. | 5. Implement your services: Work together to develop and implement the services you have identified. We were funded by the Homeless Transition Fund to set up a 24 hour hub where rough sleepers can get access to all the services they need. |
| 6. Review your success and respond to challenges: projects and initiatives need to evolve. Always monitor your successes and any challenges you face, and make changes when needed to ensure the best outcome for your clients. | 6. Review your success and respond to challenges: projects and initiatives need to evolve. Always monitor your successes and any challenges you face, and make changes when needed to ensure the best outcome for your clients. |
| Ann O'Byrne is Liverpool city council's Cabinet member for housing and a Labour councillor in the city's Warbreck ward. | Ann O'Byrne is Liverpool city council's Cabinet member for housing and a Labour councillor in the city's Warbreck ward. |
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