Council To Discuss Homeless Pilot Programme

Access to a new job and home could be on the cards for people experiencing homelessness here in Swale.

A 12-month pilot programme, with homeless crowd sourcing social enterprise Beam, will be discussed at Swale Borough Council’s cabinet meeting this week (on Wednesday 13th April).

The programme would aim to help 38 people start jobs, 15 people leave homelessness and 23 people avoid homelessness.

Cllr Ben Martin, cabinet member for housing at Swale Borough Council, told SFM News: “Beam are doing amazing work raising donations from the public to help people access the training, and other support they need to get a new job and off the streets for good. We currently have 879 households in Swale accessing our homelessness services ranging from those under threat of becoming homeless to people who are already sleeping rough, and with the cost of living continuing to rise, this number will only increase. With Kent County council cutting homeless funding this year, we must find more innovative ways to form successful partnerships to help local people get back on their feet. This initial pilot programme will give our officers an additional tool to help people get back on their feet for the long term.”

Cllr Martin went on to add: “We have a duty of care to the people who come to us for help with their housing need. We currently have 380 households in temporary accommodation, and I would love to see those who can get back on their feet with a new job and home. If approved, this could provide the much-needed missing link that moves people out of temporary housing and into their new life.”

You can read the full report being given to the cabinet here.