Recovery Van Pilot becomes a permanent fixture in the city centre - 16/12/2024
A recent pilot scheme coordinated by the Community Safety team has shown promising results in providing support to people on the streets. Following the 9-week initiative, which involved multiple agencies, and recorded 249 interactions with individuals seeking support and advice it has been mutually agreed by partners that it should continue.
The scheme, which utilised a recovery van stationed at the Cathedral forecourt, aimed to maintain a consistent, visible support presence on the streets. Key objectives included building relationships with those resistant or new to treatment, addressing social isolation, reducing demand for city centre services, and offering support around housing and treatment-related issues.
The van has been serving as a single point of contact, manned by staff from Community Safety, HALT (Substance Misuse), HAST, and Hep C Trust, while outreach was conducted by various agencies, including:
- Community Safety Team
- Housing - RSI
- Substance Misuse (HALT, HOPE, including a nurse)
- Representatives/volunteers from third-sector outreach teams
- Mental Health
- SWWOP
- Hep C Trust
- Changing Futures/SYHA
- Humankind Recovery Hub
The pilot's success has been measured through anonymised assessment forms completed by staff after each engagement. These forms helped capture the support needs and challenges faced by individuals on the streets.
Support offered during the pilot included casework updates, housing assessments, appointments with Likewise, and signposting to various activities and support groups. The initiative also provided information on where individuals could get meals and other essential services.
Outcomes
During the 9-week pilot, agencies had 249 interactions during outreach with people on the streets. This number includes people approaching the van for support and advice. Notable successes include:
- Over 55 Hep C tests were administered, with 7 individuals returning to the van for results.
- Harm reduction efforts included conversations about drug usage and the distribution of naloxone.
- Identification of a hidden cohort of women requesting safety items and condoms, with 4 new women accessing SWWOP services.
- Three new mental health referrals were made to HAST.
- SYP collected a knife that had been found during outreach.
Support offered during the pilot included casework updates, housing assessments, appointments with Likewise, and signposting to various activities and support groups. The initiative also provided information on where individuals could get meals and other essential services.
The recovery van pilot scheme has demonstrated the importance of a coordinated, multi-agency approach in addressing the complex needs of people on the streets, offering hope and connection through the skills of those with lived experience.
by Tracey Ford, December 2024