St Augustines Centre Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council How

St. Augustine’s Centre & Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council

How we started: • Small hosting scheme in place • Seed funding via NACCOM in 2015 – staff time to review and hone our hosting scheme • Impact of Refugee Crisis • No direct access hostels in Calderdale • Approachable CMBC team

How we started: • Community Foundation for Calderdale Strategic grant – 2016 • Dedicated worker started in January 2017 • Year 1 stats: • 1698 nights of accommodation • 18 individuals • 324 housing related 1 -1 advice sessions & additional training sessions

CMBC – the benefits • Well established charity already working with Refugees • Referral pathways already in place • This formalised the arrangement! • Funded a dedicated worker at St. Augustine’s to streamline the process • Early intervention

St. Augustine’s – the benefits • Money! • Support and training from CMBC • Rise in professionalism and standards • Increase in our capacity to help people • Seat on Homelessness Strategy Board • Capacity for joint working with other charities

Future plans • Joined up working under Homelessness Reduction Act • Cross pollination with training and support • Streamlined specialist advice provision for clients • Above all, people have a bed!

Our contact details Vicky Ledwidge Vicky. Ledwidge@staugustinescentrehalifax. org. uk 01422 342719 Cath Miller Cath. miller@Calderdale. gov. uk 01422 392450