Housing First Scotland has announced the first series of funding for five projects aimed to address homelessness across Scotland.

The projects will help homeless people off the streets and into a secure tenancy with support.

Social Bite are providing funding through the money that was raised through Sleep in the Park events, and other fundraisers. The other significant contributor of funds is The Merchants House of Glasgow.

Up to 800 houses have been pledged by a variety of housing associations and local councils to the programme, which will be delivered in partnership with Corra Foundation and The Glasgow Homelessness Network. Projects will also be supported through expert training in a new model of supporting vulnerable people, delivered by Turning Point Scotland.

The Housing First Scotland Fund was launched earlier this year and represents the biggest adoption of the Housing First model in Europe. This first set of projects will be funded until 2021 across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Aberdeen and Dundee with the aim of supporting just over 200 people. The programme aims to support 800 people out of homelessness.

Social Bite Founder, Josh Littlejohn said: "It is fantastic to see the Housing First programme reach this stage of awarding funds to local homelessness charities so that they can deliver the comprehensive support that many vulnerable people need to sustain a tenancy and break the cycle of homelessness. It is a major milestone in the fight against homelessness and I hope it will make a massive difference to Scotland's most excluded people, many of whom have suffered from homelessness for years. This programme was only made possible by the 8,000 people who slept out for us last December, I would like to thank each and every one of them, and encourage people to join our Sleep in the Park events this year."


The funded programmes include:

1) Housing First Glasgow led by Turning Point Scotland with a consortium comprised of Simon Community Scotland, The Salvation Army and Loretto Care (£900,000).

2) Housing First Edinburgh led by Edinburgh Cyrenians with a consortium comprised of Turning Point Scotland, Rock Trust, Streetwork, Bethany Christian Trust, Gowrie Care and Barony Care (£650,000).

3) Housing First Dundee led by Transform Community Development with a consortium comprised of Salvation Army Dundee, Dundee Survival Group (DSG) and Addaction (£400,000).

4) Housing First Aberdeen led by Aberdeen Cyrenians with a consortium comprised of Aberdeen Foyer, Turning Point Scotland, Aberdeen City Council Housing Support Department and Aberdeenshire Council (£400,000).

5) Housing First Stirling led by Loretto Care with Barony Care offering support (£100,000).

Corra Foundation CEO, Fiona Duncan added: "It's a real privilege to be involved in delivering this fund. We believe it will make a real difference to people in the immediate future, as well as having a lasting impact on the way homeless people are supported in Scotland."

According to Kevin Stewart, MSP Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning: "We are working closely with councils to ensure that this work is integrated into broader plans to implement the recommendations of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group, to prevent homelessness and strengthen the help for those who need it most. To this end we have already committed up to £4 million from the £50 million Ending Homelessness Together Fund to support councils in the participating five cities."

(CM)