The role of partnerships in working with homelessness and people with complex issues

Presentations delivered by Jo Rogers, BHT Fulfilling Lives and Joe Powell, Rother District Council

Jo Rogers, Senior Manager of the BHT Fulfilling Lives (Multiple Complex Needs Project) introduced the delegates to the “Fulfilling Lives South East Project”.

Jo explained that the project’s Big Lottery outcomes are:

• Individuals experiencing multiple needs will be better able to manage their lives
• Systems change – Services and systems will function more effectively and lead to improved outcomes for those with MCN
• Service User Involvement – all out work is underpinned by the genuine and honest involvement of individuals with lived experience.

Jo described what ‘the System’ is, and how that is made up of various groups.

Fundamental to the project (ours and nationally) is the model that service users and their lived experience are really at the centre of Systems Change:

• Project Beneficiaries / Clients – direct, current experience of barriers (and what does work well).
• Project Consultants – experience of services and systems and co-ordinating:
• Service User Panels – direct experience of barriers (and what does work well).

Jo finished with highlighting that “Systems change is not simply about implementing new projects; it is about doing things differently, and is a process rather than a project. It requires new facilitative forms of leadership and extensive collaboration.”

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Jo handed over to Joe Powell, Rother District Council’s Head of Housing & Communities, to present on the role of partnerships in working with homelessness and people with complex issues.

Joe described the unprecedented rise in rough sleeping since summer 2016, budget reductions to mainstream services, and lack of engagement with services, with the three main target groups being: rough sleeping; begging, and; street drinking.

Joe explained the challenges and the identified potential solutions, including the importance of shared purpose, values and approach across the relevant local agencies and organisations.

Key outcomes include:

• A greater understanding of the function of each other’s services within the network
• Improved relationships between key partners
• Common Needs Assessment and Strategy Meetings
• Winter Night Shelter
• Improved SWEP provision
• Improved data sharing standards
• Co-produced bid to MHCLG: Targeted Funding to Reduce Rough Sleeping – £664,00 2018/19

The full presentations are available in the Downloads section below.

Martin Fisher, Rother LSP Chair, invited delegates to participate in a Q&A session on all of the mornings presentations.