As part of a grant facilitated by Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Boaz is working across several boroughs in Greater Manchester to support people with refugee status who are now facing homelessness.
Through the Refugee Homelessness Prevention Project (RHPP), we work with people who find themselves facing or experiencing homelessness after recently being granted refugee status. We offer focused support to find, secure and move into accommodation, primarily through the private rented sector (including shared housing).
This work has developed out of a one-year pilot project, which was part of GMCA’s Refugee Welcome Programme. We have since received further funding to continue our outreach support work under the Refugee Homelessness Prevention Project in four Greater Manchester boroughs: Bolton, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford. We will also continue to provide outreach support in Manchester through a separate partnership with Mustard Tree.
Referrals will come from teams at the local authority, and will mostly be for single adults over 18 who have been assessed as having No Priority Need (under the Homelessness Reduction Act) for housing at a homelessness assessment. In two local authorities, we will also work with families who have been granted refugee status and who are living in asylum hotels or temporary accommodation and need additional support to find onward accommodation.
As this work has developed and expanded, we have also increased our support team by an additional two support workers joining our existing two RHPP team members. Through one-to-one appointments and ongoing follow up work we support individuals to identify and access appropriate housing opportunities. Our staff help with property searches, landlord liaison and tenancy readiness support. We also work with partners (including local authorities and voluntary sector organisations) to access other forms of relevant support including deposit schemes, furniture offers and more. As people move into their new accommodation, we offer support where this is required, to ensure they have the best possible chance of sustaining successful tenancies.
Eligibility criteria
The project works with single adults (aged over 18) who have recently been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection. Referrals will be for people who are currently rough sleeping, at risk of rough sleeping or living in off-the-streets accommodation, and who have been assessed as having No Priority Need (under the Homelessness Reduction Act) for housing at a homelessness assessment.
In two local authorities, we will also work with families who have been granted refugee status and who are living in asylum hotels or temporary accommodation and need additional support to find onward accommodation.
The referral process
Referrals for the Refugee Homelessness Prevention Project are made through local authority teams. Unfortunately, we cannot currently accept self referrals, referrals from wider referral partners, or those in other areas of GM.
If you have concerns about anyone who has already been referred to us, please email [email protected]
Training Offer
As part of this project, we also offer resources and training workshops (online or in-person) for voluntary sector, faith and community-based organisations across Greater Manchester. This training is intended to help staff and volunteers understand the wider housing context in Greater Manchester, including statutory homelessness systems and current pressures. Other areas of training will include tenancy readiness training, and information for groups to explore different pathways into accommodation for people who have recently been granted refugee status.
The aim of these resources and training is to raise awareness of different processes and practice so that people who need accommodation have the best chance of finding somewhere safe and stable to live, and people supporting them also feel confident they have the right information to share about these processes.
We are currently recruiting for a Housing Access Training and Development Officer for this purpose, and we will be offering the training once this person is in post. However, if you are interested in finding out more about this offer, please email [email protected] with the subject 'RHPP Training Request.'
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