GMCA launches pilot aimed at preventing young people becoming homeless

Paul Dennett, portfolio holder for housing, homelessness and infrastructure at the GMCA and mayor of Salford, said: “Tackling homelessness and the causes of homelessness remains an absolute priority for leaders here in Greater Manchester.

“As a city region we have made great progress in recent years, but there remains so much more to do.

“We are committed to addressing the fundamental social inequalities that so often lie behind a person’s experience of homelessness.

“The Young Person’s Homelessness Prevention Pathfinder is one of many schemes and approaches being undertaken in Greater Manchester.

“Its successes will help us develop our ambitious Greater Manchester Homelessness Prevention Strategy, due later this year. We are a compassionate city region – we don’t just walk on by.”

Depaul coaches will help the young people set and stick to personal targets by providing housing and money advice and mediation to prevent eviction or tenancy abandonments, as well as referrals to accommodation and health, education and employment services.

Alexia Murphy, executive director of services at Depaul, said: “By working with young people at this early stage, we can prevent them from falling into homelessness and support them to sustain accommodation into the future.”

The Greater Manchester Homelessness Prevention strategy will outline a five-year vision for slashing homelessness and rough sleeping in the city region through reform of public services.

Councils counted 115 people sleeping rough across Greater Manchester last November, down from 151 in November 2019 and 241 the year before that.

The combined authority’s A Bed Every Night scheme, intended to eliminate the need for bedding down outside, sees it accommodate around 520 people each night.