Homelessness Reduction Board – Homelessness Charter
The Homelessness Reduction Board (HRB) is a partnership of statutory and non-statutory organisations in Somerset, with a shared vision, value and mission to end homelessness in all its forms.
We invite you to join us in achieving this goal by signing up to the charter today
As Chair of the Homelessness Reduction Board, I am pleased to introduce the Homelessness Charter, a comprehensive and collaborative commitment designed to address and ultimately eradicate homelessness in our community. This charter represents our collective aim to provide effective solutions, resources, and support to those who are experiencing homelessness.
Our guiding principles include dignity, respect, and compassion for every individual. By working together with government agencies, non-profit organisations, and community stakeholders, we strive to create a cohesive network that ensures no one is left without shelter, care, or the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
The Homelessness Charter outlines our strategic goals and actionable steps, focusing on prevention, intervention, and sustained support. It is built upon evidence-based practices and the invaluable input of those with lived experiences of homelessness. Together, we can foster a community where everyone has a safe and stable place to call home.
Claire Tough, Chair – Homelessness Reduction Board
Our vision
That Homelessness and rough sleeping will be prevented, and where it does occur it will be rare, brief and non-recurring, through:
- Increasing and making more effective early help and prevention
- Ending rough sleeping
- Ensuring access for all to suitable and affordable accommodation and support
Our mission
By 2030 all elements of local government, through a collaborative and partnership approach with the voluntary sector, business and wider society, will be working together to ensure that everyone in Somerset has access to secure and suitable housing with appropriate support. This is so that no-one should have to experience homelessness or rough sleeping again.
Our commitments to people experiencing homelessness
We believe that every person experiencing homelessness in Somerset should have a right to:
Be heard
Have their voice heard and a choice in their own future.
Be respected
Be treated with dignity and respect.
Have a home
A safe, secure and stable home with the right support.
We believe that all those who work with people experiencing homelessness in Somerset should be:
Adaptive
Take a trauma informed, holistic, person centred approach to supporting people and their individual needs.
Collaborative
Encourage effective systemwide communication and collaboration to target early intervention.
Non-judgemental
Not penalise people for past mistakes, recognising that recovery from homelessness is not always straight forward.
Next steps
Action groups set up to begin addressing our identified priorities
Improving data insight
- Identify and remove systemic barriers and gaps in service provision
- Recognise new challenges, by improving data recording and understanding
- Listen to people affected by homelessness to understand what works best
Ending rough sleeping
- Prevent rough sleeping by targeting those at risk with a proactive, supportive, urgent and effective response
- Offer tailored wrap-around support and creative accommodation solutions
- Enable permanent transitions away from sleeping rough
Access to accommodation and support for all
- Collaborate with housing to deliver a housing led approach
- Provide affordable and accessible accommodation at the right time
- Offer flexible, personalised support, to ensure sustainability
Improving prevention
- Prioritise homelessness prevention through early identification of people at risk
- Help individuals identify resources to stay in their homes or move to long-term housing
- Eliminate the need of inappropriate housing
- Empower individuals to take control of their lives and make informed choices
How you can help
Everyone can make a difference to homelessness in Somerset
You can show your dedication to supporting our work by signing the charter.
You can also express an interest in joining an action group or make an offer of other resources to support our work. All groups would like to welcome new members with professional expertise who can contribute to our work, as well as people with lived experience who can share what works and what doesn’t. If you are interested, please contact HRB@somerset.gov.uk.
As an employer, you can commit to supporting people who have experienced homelessness, and support your existing team if they are at risk of losing their home by signing up to the Crisis Homelessness Alliance.
Help people sleeping rough
If you see or know of someone who is rough sleeping you can contact Streetlink who will link that person in with outreach teams.
Homelessness Reduction Board Partnership
