Liverpool City Region’s Rough Sleeper help line has just received its 100th call – and as a result successfully found accommodation for a gentleman who would have otherwise spent a night on the streets. He had become homeless because he had lost his job, exhausted all his options of with staying with friends and when he asked an agency for help, they phoned the helpline.
The help line was officially launched on 2 Feb 2012 and offers members of the public a single point of access across the six council’s of Liverpool City Region (Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helen’s and Wirral) to inform agencies about rough sleepers. Once the call is taken outreach workers are dispatched as soon as possible to visit the site, make contact with the rough sleeper and help them find somewhere to stay. Calls have been coming in from across the boroughs and while the majority of reports are from concerned members of the public, calls have also been received from family members, the police, other homeless agencies and even rough sleepers themselves.
Each case is unique and a whole range of options are offered to individuals who find themselves sleeping out, for example:
Mike (not real name) and his partner had been sleeping in a Liverpool park after they lost their home. Mike’s mum rang the line to ask for advice and, after a visit to The Whitechapel Centre, they were helped to move into their own flat.
Viktor (not real name) had been working in England but lost his job and ended up on the streets. He was assaulted and was seen sitting in a door way on Bold Street by a member of the public. Viktor was picked up by the outreach team and taken back to The Whitechapel Centre. Staff were able to liaise with Viktor’s family and help him to return home.
Help us to help a rough sleeper by phoning the helpline 0300 123 2041 as soon as you see someone sleeping rough.
For more information please go to: http://www.nosecondnightoutmerseyside.co.uk/
