A Waltham Forest youth-led campaign are taking action to try to protect rough sleepers as temperatures drop.

The Streets Aren’t My Home (SAMH) campaign has ten members who all go to college and fit in volunteering around their schedules.

It is estimated that there are 24-30 people living on the streets in Waltham Forest.

After pitching their campaign to organisation London Youth earlier this year, they were given £600 to make it a reality.

The members volunteer and help charities in Waltham Forest to make sure no charity helping the homeless is lacking support.

When asked about their work members said: “There are lots of places that need volunteers to help out. We go and offer the help that they need.”

They are also in the process of making care kits which consist of general necessities like nail clippers and dry food, to help rough sleepers.

SAMH have no intention of slowing down their efforts, with their most recent call being for resources to help at night shelters.

Night shelters will be opening across London as the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is coming into action on Friday.

This assures rough sleepers are safe and off the streets when the temperature is set to go below freezing.

Waltham Forest is working in conjunction with every London borough on the SWEP project until the end of winter.

It is being run by the Greater London Authority (GLA) for the second year running.

It used to be run individually by local boroughs, however this was changed after inconsistencies in council decisions caused confusion.

Cabinet member for Housing and Homeless Prevention in Waltham Forest, Councillor Louise Mitchell, said the borough is preparing to look after rough sleepers.

The council has negotiated bed spaces with the YMCA alongside other measures.

“It’s nothing luxurious, just a bed roll generally in the gym… but it’s better than being on the streets,” she said.

The hope is that these night shelters will prevent the number of deaths which has risen in recent years.

Submitted Article

Headline

Short Headline

Standfirst

Published Article

Headline‘Streets Aren’t My Home’: Youth-led campaign aims to tackle rough sleeping this winter

Short HeadlineYouth group helps Waltham Forest rough sleepers

StandfirstThe Streets Aren’t My Home campaign has ten members who all go to college and fit in volunteering around their schedules.

In Waltham Forest action is being taken to protect rough sleepers as temperatures drop. It is estimated that there are between 24 and 30 people living on the streets in the borough. One key actor hoping to make a difference this winter is youth-led campaign, Streets Aren’t My Home (SAMH).

This campaign has ten members who all go to college and fit in volunteering around their schedules. After pitching their campaign to organisation London Youth earlier this year, they were given £600 to make it a reality. The members volunteer and help charities in Waltham Forest to make sure no charity helping the homeless is lacking support.

When asked about their work members said ‘there are lots of places that need volunteers to help out. We go and offer the help that they need.’ They are also in the process of making care kits which consist of general necessities like nail clippers and dry food, to help rough sleepers.

SAMH have no intention of slowing down their efforts, with their most recent call being for resources to help at night shelters.

From the 1^st November, Night shelters will be opening across London as the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is coming into action. This assures rough sleepers are safe and off the streets when the temperature is set to go below freezing.

Waltham Forest is working in conjunction with every London borough on the SWEP project until the end of winter. It is being run by the GLA for the second year running. It used to be run individually by local boroughs, however this was changed after inconsistencies in council decisions caused confusion.

Cabinet member for Housing and Homeless Prevention in Waltham Forest, Councillor Louise Mitchell, said the borough is preparing to look after rough sleepers. The council has negotiated bed spaces with the YMCA alongside other measures. She has said, ‘It’s nothing luxurious, just a bed roll generally in the gym… but it’s better than being on the streets’.

The hope is that these night shelters will prevent the number of deaths which has risen in recent years. The council has said that if you see anyone sleeping rough, let them know through the Streetlink app or on the website.