A new charity-funded housing scheme to help homeless people in the north-east has been approved by Aberdeenshire Council.
Social Bite, the organisation behind the hugely successful Sleep in the Park events, and the Scottish Government have offered Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire councils £400,000 to create a new Housing First scheme.
The region already has piloted a scheme for two years – with 18 people housed so far.
However, this latest proposal will encompass Aberdeen City Council and is designed to find homes for 120 people during the next two years.
The fast-track system to ensure homeless people get back on their feet was given the go-ahead at yesterday’s meeting of Aberdeenshire Council’s Communities Committee.
It offers people affordable, permanent homes as quickly as possible, avoiding lengthy stays in temporary accommodation.
The “consortium” which has been established, includes Aberdeen Cyrenians, Aberdeen Foyer and Turning Point Scotland.
The Cyrenians will run the programme day-to-day with support officers, and will report back on the progress of the project.
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Rob Simpson, head of housing, said the pilot had benefited residents and service users since its inception.
Chairwoman of the committee, Anne Stirling rubber-stamped the project and asked for a progress report in six months’ time.
In December, Social Bite’s Sleep in the Park event raised £540,000 towards the fight against homelessness.
Last night, a spokeswoman said: “Housing First is more than a house, it provides people with a permanent home and the wrap-around support they need to flourish.
“The project’s wider goal is to act as a catalyst for the adoption of Housing First across all 32 Scottish local authorities, so it becomes the primary model for combating homelessness as experienced by the most vulnerable people.
“Housing First in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire is made possible by a consortium of experts, led by Aberdeen Cyrenians and comprised of Aberdeen Foyer, Turning Point Scotland, Aberdeen City Council Housing Support Department and Aberdeenshire Council.
“We are delighted to have the support of these organisations and are excited to see many more people benefiting from Housing First, a transformative programme that provides a human-centred, kind and compassionate response to the systemic issue of homelessness.
“The programme has already seen 51 people across Scotland and 10 people across Aberdeen going from homelessness to a home of their own, with the support that is right for them, with a total of 830 homes pledged over the next two years.”
