The town's winter night shelter has revealed plans to offer all year-round supported temporary accommodation.
The Ipswich Winter Night Shelter has submitted plans to Ipswich Borough Council which would see it run throughout the year.
The new service will be called Selig Suffolk Springboard and will provide affordable, high quality, self-catering, supported accommodation for seven adults.
The plans said: “Since our shelter closed at the end of winter 2022, we have been working hard to adapt to local need, and to develop new services that will help to address the root causes of rough sleeping in Ipswich.”
It is designed to empower residents to end their homelessness by securing employment and then moving into private rented accommodation.
Funding to begin this project has been granted by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Night Shelter Transformation Fund plus the Suffolk Giving Fund, Frank Jackson Foundation Fund, Denbury Charitable Fund, and the Suffolk Police & Crime Commissioner's Fund – all through Suffolk Community Foundation.
As well as providing a supportive environment, thanks to volunteers, Selig Suffolk Springboard will focus on empowering its residents to secure employment by working in close partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions.
Julia Hancock, the charity manager at the Selig Suffolk Trust, said: “It is a privilege to play our part in helping people who become homeless to regain hope and a life purpose, based around their goals, strengths, dreams and needs.
“Our volunteers are a crucial part of this process. We know from experience that high quality and affordable supported accommodation enables people to secure employment and to change their lives permanently. “Selig Suffolk Springboard will enable residents to end their homelessness through employment.
“Our support staff will help our residents to find permanent accommodation to move to and they will provide at least six months of support after our residents have moved on.
“Then we will continue to provide a support network and contact through regular social activities for ex-residents. We want to make sure that those we serve do not become homeless again.”
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