Great Places provides specialist services and expert support to promote independence and wellbeing for people across our regions.
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Social Purpose is at the heart of Great Places and we pride ourselves on playing more than our part in tackling the housing crisis and homelessness through a variety of initiatives. In addition to the Housing First Pilot (see our Pioneering Partnerships section for more), Great Places is also the lead partner in the GM Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme; part of the Government backed UK-wide investment programme to create dedicated housing and support to help rough sleepers to rebuild their lives away from the streets.
As part of the £212 million Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme Great Places has worked with partners including Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Manchester City Council and Salford City Council to make homes available for rough sleepers. The homes will enable people who sleep rough, or are at risk of sleeping rough, to be rehoused in secure, long-term accommodation. The programme is the largest-ever investment in longer-term accommodation for rough sleepers, with 6,000 homes pledged by the end of this parliament as part of the government’s mission to end rough sleeping once and for all.
As well as providing properties, Great Places also leads the partnership that provides support to people who are rough sleeping or at risk of doing so that use the properties to start their recovery journeys away from homelessness. Throughout phase 1 we have supported 26 people, helping 15 into accommodation so far, and employed four colleagues across the partnership; this phase will provide support to 44 properties across the region.
We have also seen successful applications to deliver the support for Rough Sleepers Accommodation Grant Phase 2 which will support an additional 60 properties across Greater Manchester; and a further eight properties in Sheffield.
Within Independent Living, we have five Extra-Care and 16 Independent Living schemes comprising of 189 Extra-Care and 504 Independent Living flats.
At The Byrons Extra Care scheme, Manchester City Council lease a neighbourhood apartment that is used for step up/step down accommodation for people in temporary need of an Extra Care scheme. For example, temporarily leaving their home while adaptations are carried out; needing additional care and support before returning home from hospital; or for additional support due to safeguarding needs. The apartment at The Byrons has been used since 2019, and often leads to those staying choosing to move into The Byrons or a different Extra Care scheme in Manchester.
In 2021/22, three people stayed in The Byrons Neighbourhood Apartment – one for 18 weeks who subsequently moved into The Byrons, one for seven weeks who also became a permanent resident, and another for 13 weeks who was able to return home after their stay.
The Neighbourhood Apartment is an excellent model for all involved and an excellent marketing tool for The Byrons. Going forward we are hoping to expand into other schemes in Manchester and work with other local authorities to replicate the model.
