Calderdale Council has awarded new funding to a scheme that supports rough sleepers, meaning that this work can continue for another two years.
The scheme, run by Horton Housing and called Street Reach, has been extended to include work with people who beg on the streets.
Horton Housing will work jointly with the Council to look into what leads people to take up begging, how to tackle it and what advice they can give to the public on how to respond to it.
Outreach workers will approach people and try to build a relationship with them to try to understand why they are begging. They will try to work with them to access the right support to divert them from this – whether it is help with benefits, or putting them in contact with organisations that can help them with substance misuse or mental health issues.
The existing service for rough sleepers – formerly known as No Second Night Out – will continue. Outreach workers are made aware of anyone found sleeping rough and they will go and see them and try to find them local emergency accommodation.
Debbie Lynch, Horton Housing’s Head of Service for Calderdale, said:
“We are delighted that this valuable service for rough sleepers is going to continue. We look forward to the opportunity to expand provision to include working with street beggars.”
Cllr Daniel Sutherland, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Environment, said:
“Helping people who are rough sleeping, street begging or homeless in Calderdale is a priority for the Council. We work with other organisations to try to prevent people being in this situation, but where they unfortunately are, we do everything we can to support them.”