Government must introduce new support models to take people out of homelessness, charity warns
New models to support people out of homelessness must be pursued by the Government as it prepares its latest housing plan amid ever-rising numbers in Ireland without a home, a charity has urged.
On Monday, Focus Ireland published two reports which it said show successful approaches to helping homeless people with complex support needs into stable homes and communities.
It comes amidst a set of worrying trends in housing figures with missed building targets, fewer commencements, and record levels of homelessness.
According to the latest figures for the end of March, there were 15,418 people recorded as homeless in Ireland.
One of the Focus Ireland reports focuses on a new scheme it has pursued called 'Meascán', the Irish word for mixture. In this model, people with a history of homelessness who need support live in the same developments as people simply seeking affordable housing.
They share apartment blocks owned and managed by the charity with the aim to 'promote dignity, reduce stigma and foster vibrant, supportive neighbourhoods', it said.
Its director of advocacy Mike Allen said the previous approach to homeless people with complex needs such as mental ill-health and addiction issues would be to accommodate them in shelters with people who have similar problems.
He said that while people with such issues are not 'typical of the vast majority of people who experience homelessness', putting them in that form of accommodation does 'long-term damage to their capacity to lead independent and fulfilled lives'.
For Meascán, it commissioned independent researchers to analyse how this model is working for Focus tenants. It reviewed seven sites in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Tipperary representing 110 households.
Positive experiences were reported by the tenants, including those who welcomed living in an area they were familiar with and would be able to remain in.
'I am happy here, I don't want to move and I never have to… I never, ever want to be homeless again,' one said.
However, cost of living challenges were also cited by the tenants, with another remarking: 'I worry about the bills. I live on a fixed income and the bills keep going up.'
Recommendations
Among the recommendations of the report was enhanced staff training and better coordination between Focus Ireland, local authorities and support services.
Mr Allen added: 'We've long believed that sustainable housing means more than four walls. The Meascán model offers us a blueprint for how we can do this better, smarter, and more humanely. But we also know this can't be done alone.'
The second report looks at how approved housing bodies such as Cluid and Tuath are being increasingly asked to house individuals with complex needs who receive long-term supports.
It highlighted barriers such as poor information sharing, unclear responsibilities and gaps in support coordination.
Focus Ireland added that, taken together, the reports 'represent a call to action for more joined-up, compassionate approaches to ending homelessness in Ireland'.
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