Cardiff's Forgotten People
I find myself writing about an issue which is starting to worry so many people in Cardiff.
Why does there seem to be so many more homeless people in Cardiff, than there used to be?
I often find myself having to avoid going to a cashpoint as there is often a person sat directly underneath it. Most people like myself, may find this slightly intimidating. Lord knows that I'm bad enough when someone's standing too close to me in a supermarket while I'm entering my pin, So you can imagine this in a non controlled environment at midnight.
I totally sympathize with any person who is homeless, It's the hardest thing any person can go through. I myself have been in a homeless position and had to crawl my way back up the ladder to put a roof over my head again.
However, who's to blame for the spike in people sleeping rough on our streets?
And what can you do to help?
I am well aware that not all rough sleepers wish to be placed in a hostel. Some of the reasons behind this is that they find the process of going via the 'Gateway/ Outreach service' long winded, or the person doesn't wish to be placed in a hostel with other homeless/ rough sleepers who 'May' have drug/alcohol abuse addictions. *(Not all homeless people have these addictions).
One younger rough sleeper informed me, of how he felt intimated by older sleepers at the hostels, and so opted to sleep alone on the streets. He wasn't addicted to drug/ alcohol, however, did have a mental illness which made holding down any tenancy very hard for him. After the death of his grandmother, who was his carer. Not being on the Council tenancy agreement, he legally couldn't stay at the family home, once the grandmother had passed away.He did make himself voluntarily homeless by leaving a hostel which he had been placed in, and now sadly sleeps rough.
I'm a fond believer of the quote: 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime'.
We should be helping the homeless by sharing knowledge of how to get themselves out of the situation, and not just offering money, which in 'Some' rough sleepers situations 'May' contribute to the ongoing drug and alcohol problem in our city.
Buying a person food and providing warm clothes and sleeping blankets, etc is such a thoughtful way to help out a rough sleeper.
We should be helping the homeless by sharing knowledge of how to get themselves out of the situation, and not just offering money, which in 'Some' rough sleepers situations 'May' contribute to the ongoing drug and alcohol problem in our city.
Buying a person food and providing warm clothes and sleeping blankets, etc is such a thoughtful way to help out a rough sleeper.
YMCA - 83 beds - http://www.ymcacardiff.wales/
YMCA Ambassador - 36 beds
The Huggard - 40 beds - http://www.huggard.org.uk/
The Salvation Amy - 65 beds - also have houses in the community - https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/rough-sleeping-street-homelessness
The Wallich - 25 Rooms & 3 emergency beds - https://thewallich.com/
Tresillian House - 24 rooms & 8 emergency beds
The Night Shelter - Unknown
(Correct as from 04/06/17)
Telephone directory for the homeless: http://www.cardiffandvaleuhb.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/documents/1143/HomelessnessDirectoryDec2011.pdf
Useful information to pass onto any homeless person in need of accommodation
The below information comes direct from Cardiff Council's website
Homeless now
If you are homeless, sleeping rough, relying on friends for a bed for the night or likely to become homeless in the near future we will work with you to help you find somewhere to live.
Please contact us as soon as possible by phoning or visiting:
The Housing Options ServiceHousing Options Centre
Hansen Street
Cardiff
029 2057 0750
Out of hours: 029 2087 3141
Opening hours
Monday 9am - 4.30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4.30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4.30pm
Thursday 11am - 4.30pm
Friday 9am - 4pm
We may need you to provide some information so that we can assess your situation. This will include proof of your identity and details of your income. Please provide the original documents we ask you for as quickly as possible.
Homeless Outreach Service
We provide advice, support and assistance to rough sleepers and other vulnerable people in Cardiff. The team aims to do this through effective outreach, appropriate referrals and support.
The team works in partnership with a variety of statutory / non-statutory, charitable and voluntary sector agencies providing frontline services covering issues such as emergency accommodation, Health and substance misuse.
We welcome all contact, If you are sleeping rough or know of someone who is, please contact us giving details of location, numbers, date and time.
Hansen Street
Cardiff
We will need to talk to you about your situation to find out how you became homeless or why you are likely to lose your home. Wherever possible we will try to prevent you from losing your current home if you have one. We will also give you information about the housing options available to you.
Intentionality - What does this mean?
Please remember that in considering your case, the Council will also assess whether you have in any way contributed to your circumstances – this is called ‘intentionality’. Each case is considered carefully to decide whether the loss of accommodation was deliberate or through no fault of your own. ‘Intentionality’ will be considered for all households except 16/17 year olds who cannot be held responsible for the loss of any previous accommodation.
The Council is permitted to do this under the ‘Homelessness (Intentionality) (Specified Categories) (Wales) Regulations 2015’.
Link to Cardiff Council's website:
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. The next time you see someone in need of accommodation please write down the numbers listed and pass on the knowledge.