The Homelessness Charter, developed by groups working alongside people affected by homelessness, with their voices at its core, is the city’s new approach to tackling homelessness.
One strand of this approach is the Big Change Fund, Manchester’s alternative giving strategy that aims to maximise the use of public donations for the benefit of people who are homeless.
Manchester’s Homelessness Charter has brought together city leaders, faith groups, businesses, the voluntary sector, street charities, CityCo, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Manchester Clinical Commissioning Groups, and Manchester City Council in a united front to tackle the problem of homelessness in the city.
The creation of the Charter has been led by local charity Mustard Tree and has involved extensive consultation with numerous people who have personally experienced homelessness, as well as dozens of other organisations working in the homelessness sector across the city.
It outlines the principles that establish how people experiencing homelessness should be treated and how the city intends to deal with the problem.
It calls for action from those who agree to adopt the charter values to make a pledge to demonstrate their support.
All pledges will be expected to involve making a commitment to doing something new to tackle homelessness in the city.
Pledges could include financial contributions, donating in-kind resources such as volunteers, products, skills or expertise, or supporting employment projects by offering entry level jobs, with the aim of working together to reduce homelessness and ultimately to eliminate it.
Alternatively pledges could include a commitment to join one of a number of ‘action groups’ being set up to look at specific priority issues that have been identified as presenting the greatest problems to those who are homeless.
Some of the priority areas already identified include, improving mental health provision, increasing emergency accommodation for rough sleepers, creating an indoor evening provision for rough sleepers, increasing employment opportunities and improving sub-standard temporary accommodation.
The new charter is aimed principally at organisations but individuals who want to help people who are homeless get off the streets can also adopt the charter and pledge to do their bit at: https://streetsupport.net/
The Street Support Network website https://streetsupport.net/ provides more information about various charities and services supporting people who are homeless in Manchester and how individuals and businesses can get involved.