Specialist housing consultant, Arc4 (led by Wendy Dearden) was appointed to facilitate a stakeholder workshop held on 13 December 2018 to consider the issues of homelessness in Jersey and the need for a strategic approach.
This workshop followed the 2018 Jersey Election and the Minister for Children and Housing expressed desire for the issue of homelessness to be considered as part of the Council of Ministers Common Strategic Priorities. He pledged that all relevant organisations would be involved in considering the issue of homelessness and housing related support.
The outcome of the workshop included immediate recommendations to the Government of Jersey to:-
- Homelessness Forum: Support the establishment of a Homelessness Forum to bring stakeholders together on a regular basis together with the formation of a representative group or board to develop a Jersey homelessness strategy.
- Service Directory: Develop an online Service Directory updated regularly, centrally held and available to all partners to ensure than can signpost effectively.
- Data Collection and Analysis: develop the collation and analysis of standardised homelessness data to inform future policy making decisions.
The workshop was attended by 28 individual organisations, agencies or government departments, all who support people who are homeless or at imminent threat of homelessness, as follows:-
Accommodation and Support Providers
Barnardo’s Plan B
Causeway Association
Freedom for Life Ministries
Jersey Association of Youth & Friendship
Love Thy Neighbour
Sanctuary Trust
Service Station
The Shelter Trust
Silkworth Lodge
Church and Community Groups
Caritas Jersey
Church of England
Salvation Army
St Helier Methodist Church
Government Services
Adult Social Services
Children’s Services
Community Mental Health
Customer and Local Services
Drug and Alcohol Service
Environmental Health
Strategic Policy, Performance and Population
Housing Providers
Andium Homes
CTJ Housing Trust
Les Vaux Housing Trust
Parishes
Parish of St Helier
Other Public Services
Probation and Aftercare Service
States of Jersey Police
Other Voluntary Services
Citizens Advice
Jersey Community Partnership