Preventing Homelessness

The life expectancy of someone sleeping rough is only 42.  Worthing Churches Homeless Projects works with the whole community to provide for homeless people and to prevent homelessness.

Karen Hart’s work as Homelessness Prevention Officer is focused on the Worthing area,  in particular the Selden, Central, Heene and Northbrook wards.

In addition to working with clients and ex-clients of WCHP, Karen works with people referred to her by a range of other agencies, in both the voluntary and community sector and the public sector.  Worthing Borough Council, for example, puts Karen in contact with homeless people and with housing register applicants.  Karen also works with people in social housing. 

The work of the Homelessness Prevention Officer is holistic.  Signposting and referral form a part of it, as does health intervention work.  Addressing motivational issues is an important element of the work. 

As part of her role, Karen visits people in their homes, and will help and advise them in any way she can, on matters such as budgeting and dealing with bills, and diet and health needs.

Nearly a third of Karen’s clients are struggling with mental health issues, and nearly two thirds have had substance misuse issues.

The role of Homelessness Prevention Officer has evolved over time and Karen now gets her clients to enter into a contract with her on the actions they will take with her support.

Karen has organised a ‘Drop In Café’ held at St Clare’s Day centre every Wednesday afternoon, where people can come along for advice or companionship.

She has also co-ordinated and delivered training and coaching of front line housing workers in the delivery of holistic support.  Fifty-four training sessions have been held since the beginning of Karen’s work in January 2007.

Since the start of the work, Karen has made 680 visits and spent nearly a thousand hours one-to-one with the 111 people she has worked with.   With her help, 45 evictions have been prevented.

This work to prevent homelessness is making an important contribution to reducing premature death in the Borough.

Karen’s work has been facilitated by West Sussex Local Area Agreement funding, awarded by Worthing Together Local Strategic Partnership.