In a bid to support the Island's rough sleepers, the former emergency winter shelter in Newport will be turned into a new 'hub' run by The Salvation Army.
The £860,000 'assessment hub' will help vulnerable Islanders avoid sleeping on the streets by providing a roof over their head as well as the support they need to enable them to make positive longer term changes to their lives.
The centre will be named 'Howard House' in memory of Howard Derham who tragically died while homeless in 2017.
The centre is a key part of the council's drive to end rough sleeping. The plan takes a 'housing first' approach which means people are offered accommodation as a first step to overcoming the issues that have led to homelessness.
Councillor Clare Mosdell, Cabinet member for adult social care, public health and housing needs, said:
"Rough sleeping kills; it is the most dangerous form of homelessness.
"That is why it is so important that those who find themselves homeless are able to access a safe place to sleep, while in the longer term secure support to break the cycle of homelessness, poverty and exclusion.
"Howard House will become a vital tool to help us achieve this. One person sleeping rough is one too many.
"This service is designed to allow us to prevent rough sleeping and, when this has not been possible, provides a safe place we can move people off the street quickly to help prevent significant harm and help individuals go on their individual journeys of recovery and ultimately back into a place they can call home."
The council is investing around £500,000 into the new centre, with a further £362,000 secured from the government. The major refurbishment of the building — the former Barton Primary School — is being undertaken by local Island firm, Trevor Jones Contracting Ltd.
Once the works are complete, hopefully by May, the facility will offer up to 17 guests a safe place to stay, take a shower, have a hot drink, wash their clothes and store their belongings. It will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Jamie Brenchley, the council's service manager for housing needs and homelessness, said mentoring and support tailored to an individual's needs would help them find permanent accommodation again.
He said:
"Howard House will provide a safe place from which individuals can start to rebuild and live their lives.
"We hope the centre will be a place where we can bring together services all in one place. People who are homeless often live chaotic lives, so for them to get to different appointments in different places is quite challenging.
"This is trying to help them find a sense of value and some direction, as well as modelling good relationships, and understanding what some of their aspirations might be. They are people who need to be treated with dignity, care and respect, but they may have been overwhelmed with things happening in their lives.
"The new facility will help to focus provision around each individual person, which is the best way to understand their needs and to help set a path to permanent accommodation for them."
Local ward member, Councillor Geoff Brodie, said:
"The people of Pan and Barton previously welcomed a homeless winter shelter both on this site and at the former Downside school site.
"In addition, there were no objections when I consulted immediate neighbours about this new centre once they understood how it would operate. Also no planning objections. It shows this is a tolerant and caring community. It is a good use of part of the former Barton school site."
Matthew Smith, the Salvation Army’s homelessness services unit, assistant regional manager, added:
“The Salvation Army has partnered with the Isle of Wight local authority and other agencies over many years to work alongside those who face homelessness on the Island.
"We’ve been involved in the strategic planning to reduce the numbers of rough sleepers – taking people from that first contact on the street, identifying the support they need and moving them onto supported housing before they make the transition to sustainable accommodation and independence.
"We look forward to continuing to meet individual needs so people can realise their potential and feel empowered to break the cycle of homelessness.
“We are pleased to be the provider of the innovative new Isle of Wight assessment hub that will work with people to prevent rough sleeping and reduce homelessness.”
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