The People’s Project has been established in response to the widespread concern regarding the ever-increasing number of people living on the streets or sleeping rough in York. Homelessness is an extremely complex issue that has a multitude of underlying causes. To even begin the process of tackling these causes (and effects) will require multiple resources and skills; therefore our best chances of
success will come from having a large team of dedicated people working together. Put simply, if we are to truly combat homelessness and put an end to its adverse effects on both individual and public wellbeing, we need a wide-reaching, coordinated effort that engages the entire community. Who is involved in the project? Key organizations such as ‘York City Council’, ‘Peasholme’, ‘Sash, Reach’, ‘Summit’, ‘North Yorkshire police’, ‘Child, Youth and Family’, ‘York City Housing’ and ‘York Hospital’ have held out their hands and have pledged to help us put an end to homelessness in York. Their continued support will be critical and we are confident that more organizations will follow their lead and commit to working with us. It is clear that a citywide support strategy will be essential if we are to provide the homes and services that people need. What services do you provide? Our services are coordinated via The People’s Project, which is not a drop-in centre for homeless people. Rather, It is a central hub, providing a space for the collaboration of many different organizations working on the project. From this office, a team of professional staff works directly with homeless people to connect them with counselling, education and other support services that are available in the community. These services are designed to help homeless individuals reestablish their status as independent citizens, by, for, instance, providing them with training and support for increasing their future employment prospects. How are you funded? The COPAH homeless service is government funded but it also relies on other charity organizations and the support of the general public. The work of the project has so far been funded by grants from local charities and through the generous donation of resources (including staff) from partner organizations. However, in order to ensure the continued progress of our work, it is critical that we secure ongoing funding; hence we would welcome your support, and any offer of assistance (however small) would be greatly appreciated and will help us to make an enormous difference.
