Start of work on new centre offers blueprint for tackling homelessness

A unique package of training and lifeskills support – ranging from literacy courses to cookery classes – will provide a pioneering blueprint for a new housing facility in Hull that will help homeless people turn their lives around.

Work on the new centre, run by housing organisations Riverside-ECHG and HULLHARP, starts in March. It will be marked by an official demolition of the final remaining derelict buildings on the former industrial site in Great Union Street. Joining them will be the centre’s other partners - Hull City Council, the Homes and Communities Agency, Hull Health Authority and the Hull Hostel Forum’s Independent Living Skills Project.

“In linking our accommodation to training opportunities we are getting straight to the heart of some of the main reasons why people remain homeless,” said Riverside-ECHG’s regional Manager, John Glenton. “For homeless people to move on successfully they need to have the skills to do things like managing what they spend, finding employment and even feeding themselves properly.”

HULLHARP’s Chief Executive, Gavin Baggs, said: “We will encourage all our residents to work with us from the very outset. When they first arrive we will identify what range of support they need and will put the right training in place that will help them move on to independent living and employment. This new scheme will be a unique partnership offering unique opportunities for homeless people to turn their lives around.”

The new £5million centre will house 46 men and women at any one time and will offer facilities including an IT suite, employment and education services, a multi-gym, treatment rooms and a social enterprise café. Many of these services will be open to the local community to benefit from.

Lisa Jones, Team leader at the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) for Yorkshire & Humber said: “The HCA’s investment of over £3.5million will not only help improve the conditions for homeless people in the city of Hull, but will also through the training provided by our partners enable some of the clients to move into employment.”

Cllr Stephen Baker, Portfolio Holder for Adult Care, Health & Equalities at Hull City Council said: “The centre will bring both funding and employment into the City of Hull as part of its construction. In the longer term, it will also play a key role in reducing rough sleeping and offer the local community around it access to important resources that will also benefit them.”