Make Your Change Count
Did you know that your kindness could keep people on the street?
Help is available in the Chichester District to anyone who finds themselves on the streets, but sometimes your generosity can prevent someone accessing the long term support that they really need.
We work closely with several charities and organisations to help support rough sleepers in the area. Please help us to make a lasting change and support our Make Your Change Count campaign by donating to one of our local charities instead.
What people don't realise is that not everyone on the streets is homeless. Unfortunately, there are some people who come into the city to beg for money and it can be very difficult to tell the difference between the two.
By working together, we can make a lasting difference to those who are in need.
How we support rough sleepers
If you see someone sleeping rough please be assured that the support for them is there. We have a team of rough sleeper outreach workers who engage with rough sleepers on a daily basis to offer them support and make them aware of the help that is available to them. This includes working with the council's community wardens, and local homeless charities to ensure that rough sleepers are safe. We also work with Sussex Police, West Sussex County Council Adult Services and Change, Grow, Live (CGL).
Our outreach workers spend a lot of time building up a relationship with each rough sleeper to understand their needs, why they have ended up on the streets and how they can move forward to change their current lifestyle and secure suitable accommodation. It can take weeks, months, or years to engage with some rough sleepers and not everyone will accept the help that is on offer. The effect of homelessness can significantly affect a person's desire or motivation to change.
As well as receiving accommodation and food, those who accept help also have access to a doctor, mental health services, deposits and suitable accommodation.
For those who do not accept our offers of help, we continue to support them by providing advice and guidance around coronavirus and signposting them to the support services that are available, in case they decide to change their minds later on. Our teams are also here to support residents if they are at risk of being made homeless or are unable to pay their rent.
As part of our commitment to help rough sleepers, Chichester District Council has successfully bid for several pots of Government funding. Most of this money has gone to the local homeless charity Stonepillow and includes:
- £300,000 to extend their hostel
- £200,000 to help buy a property which will provide additional move-on accommodation as part of the Government's Next Steps programme; and
- £58,000 towards the cost of providing temporary accommodation and providing move-on support for rough sleepers.
Who else is supporting this campaign?
| Charity | Charity services |
| Stonepillow (opens new window) | Stonepillow support and empower homeless and vulnerable people to achieve sustainable independence and wellbeing. They provide support 365 days a year across Chichester and Arun districts, offering a complete recovery journey focusing on improving health and wellbeing, and sustaining independent living. The charity also works in partnership with other agencies across West Sussex to provide the following essential support for homeless and vulnerable people:
|
| Heart (opens new window) | HEART is a partnership of local churches in Chichester, who want to play their part in helping some of the most vulnerable people in Chichester. Each day a team of volunteers provide a hot meal and a packed lunch to rough sleepers and homeless people at St Pancras Hall. There are currently 30 volunteers from all walks of life who help cook & serve hot meals, as well as offering warmth and friendship to those who attend. |
| The Four Streets project (opens new window) | The Four Streets project is a group of dedicated volunteers who provide nightly support including food, drink and other essentials to people sleeping on the streets of Chichester and those who are vulnerably housed. During the pandemic they have also been providing a supper club. Volunteers also signpost people who are sleeping out to local services that can provide further support. |
Are you concerned about someone sleeping rough?
If you are concerned about someone over the age of 18 that you have seen sleeping rough in England or Wales, you can send an alert to StreetLink (opens new window).The details you provide are sent to Chichester District Council's rough sleeper outreach workers. who will locate them and assess their needs. They also work very closely with the charities we have mentioned to ensure that they receive the right help.
Please help us to make a lasting change and donate to one of the charities we have mentioned.
Contact us
For further information and advice email publicrelations@chichester.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can phone us on 01243 534679.
Share this page
