How you can help us end veterans homelessness
By Laura Paterson, Associate acting on behalf of Homeless Link
Since the re-launch of the No Homeless Veterans Campaign in May last year, we have reached many local authorities, housing associations and supported housing providers – all eager to join forces to end homelessness among veterans.
To help them achieve this, we have created a set of free toolkits and self-audit tools, with tailored versions for England, Scotland and Wales.
We are also running free online training events. The last of the live training sessions will take place later this month and we’re encouraging local authority and housing association staff to sign up and get the latest guidance on how you can help end veteran homelessness in your area.
People attending previous training events said ‘what was covered was very useful’, ‘this has provided some great sign-posting’ and ‘we will be using the toolkit and advising others to attend the sessions’.
This was hugely useful; even for those of us with an Armed Forces background, who have been working in this area for a few years, there’s still so much to learn and so much still to do, anything like this it’s really useful to make sure we are all getting it right.
The final live sessions will take place from 10am-12pm on:
- Scotland: Tuesday 24 January
- Wales: Wednesday 25 January
- England: Tuesday 31 January
In February, recordings will be available – so check back, if you’re unable to attend the live events.
In the meantime, we’re highlighting some top tips – to get you thinking, and to give you a taste of what is covered in the toolkits and the training.
Identify veterans
Specialist support is available to veterans and their families, but many housing organisations don’t routinely ask every customer whether they – or a family member – has served in the Armed Forces. As a result, veterans are missing out on support they’re entitled to. We recommend asking a mandatory question to ensure veterans are identified.
- Review your key housing forms to ensure they ask the ‘veteran question’. This may include your Housing Register form, homeless assessment form, referral form, new tenant form, or support planning documents.
- Ensure your staff are able to explain why this question is being asked and understand the purpose of asking it.
Sign the Armed Forces Covenant
Local authorities and housing associations can all sign the Covenant and can encourage activities that help integrate the Armed Forces community into local life. At a local level, this commitment is then supported by action plans and specific pledges.
Local authorities:
- Ensure staff understand what the Armed Forces Covenant is.
- Review your Armed Forces Covenant action plan to ensure it contains key housing pledges and actions to improve access to housing and support for veterans.
Housing associations and supported housing providers:
- Ensure staff understand what the Armed Forces Covenant is.
- Sign up to the Corporate Covenant.
Review your Homelessness Strategies
Official guidance states that some people, including veterans, may be at particular risk of homelessness, and housing authorities should consider how to work effectively to prevent it among such groups and ensure that appropriate support is available.
- Make sure your Homelessness Reviews and Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategies specifically consider the needs of veterans. They should show an understanding of the nature and extent of homelessness among veterans and their families, and their wider housing and support needs.
- Review your membership of local Homelessness Forums/Alliances to include local veterans charities and organisations.
- Consult with the Armed Forces Covenant when undertaking Homelessness Reviews and developing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategies.
- Ensure that Housing Strategies consider the housing needs of veterans where there is a local identified need.
Our training sessions cover all these points in more detail, as well as guidance on how to:
- Prevent homelessness through early intervention and collaboration
- Develop appropriate Personal Housing Plans
- Review ways of assessing priority need
- Ensure Allocations Policies are legally compliant
- Assess any additional support needs and ensure staff are aware of all the help and provision available
- Provide appropriate advice and information for veterans and their families
With a focused approach on meeting the housing needs of veterans, it is possible to reduce and possibly end veterans’ experiences of homelessness.
Don’t miss out on the live training sessions – sign up now!