Regeneration
Change into Action to be promoted at Walsall Market on 20 May
Published on
Change into Action is a partnership between Walsall Council, the Mayor of the West Midlands and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Information about a scheme that supports organisations to help rough sleepers is being shared on Friday 20 May at the Walsall Town Centre Market, Park Street between 9am and 4pm.
Change into Action is a partnership between Walsall Council, the Mayor of the West Midlands and the West Midlands Combined Authority. It was originally launched just before lockdown due to COVID-19 in 2020, and is now looking to raise public awareness further by sharing information about the scheme. It is an alternative giving scheme which supports specialist charities and street teams working to change the circumstances of rough sleepers in the local area.
Partners involved in promoting the scheme are committed to addressing rough sleeping and homelessness in Walsall and work closely with people at risk by investing time and offering support into changing lives.
For example, Black country food bank and Ablewell Advice support with food parcels for rough sleepers, The Beacon offers drug and alcohol addiction support. Housing providers whg and Green Square Accord provide accommodation and support with Housing First Project and housing rough sleepers in Walsall. Nash Dom and the Refugee and Migrant Centre support with translation on offer to refugee and migrants from Eastern Europeans and third world countries. The YMCA Black Country offers a daily multi-functional hub at the Glebe Centre.
“ People have a right to a home and to feel safe and our innovative ‘Housing First’ scheme, implemented in the borough takes a longer term approach to those most vulnerable, like rough sleepers.”
Change into Action will support the project helping and protecting rough sleepers in our borough and as well as raising awareness about homelessness and the support that is available. “
“ Walsall has been a brilliant adopter of our Change into Action scheme, which offers an alternative way for people to help as they know their donation will directly make a difference to the lives of those who are sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness in their local area.
Since 2017, Change into Action has supported more than 500 individuals across the West Midlands to make that move away from the streets, and I would encourage people to pop along to Walsall Market next Friday to find out more. “
The scheme reinforces the amazing work that has already been achieved in the borough to prevent homelessness and rough sleeping. Housing and welfare services has helped over one hundred rough sleepers from the streets of Walsall into accommodation and support being provided to maintain tenancies and allowing a second chance to turn their lives around. Numbers have reduced - within Walsall rough sleeping the numbers of rough sleepers found from annual night counts has reduced from 26 in 2016 to 4 in 2021.
This valuable work is carried out with the support of local organisations, charities, and outreach services within the local area and is funded through donations.
All donations benefit individuals sleeping rough or at risk of homelessness in Walsall and so far, with the support of residents and businesses, Change into Action has raised over £12,000.
Change into Action is a partnership between Walsall Council, the Mayor of the West Midlands and the West Midlands Combined Authority. It was originally launched just before lockdown due to COVID-19 in 2020, and is now looking to raise public awareness further by sharing information about the scheme.
Learn more about Change into Action: https://changeintoaction.org.uk/walsall/about/
For more about how Walsall Council and its partners offer support to rough sleepers/ homelessness, click here.
-ENDS-
