On 9th to 10th of July 2012 Barka UK staff took place in the Homeless AnnualConference in Warwick
Some of the guests who participated in the conferenceincluded: Rick Henderson – Chief Executive, Homeless Link, Roger Wilshaw Departmentfor Communities & Local Government, Lynda Tarpey – Vice Chair, HomelessLink Board, Jeremy Swain – Chief Executive, Thames Reach, Samantha Rennie,Director Homelessness Transition Found, Homeless Link, Stephen Hall, Departmentfor Work and Pensions.
Subjects that were discussed – What prevention ofHomelessness should look like and how it can be put in place? What supportneeds to be in place for homeless people? Saying no to repeat homelessness:reducing evictions and abandonments, New Approach to tackling rough sleeping:adopting the No Second Night Out approach, Welfare reform: what it means forhomelessness services and clients?
In the summary Rick Henderson the Chief Executive ofHomeless Link said that unfortunately the homelessness is rising. 16% increasein households accepted as homeless by councils in England – Jan – March 2012compared Jan – March 2011, 5,678 rough sleepers in London in 2011/12, 43%increase from previous year – CHAIN, 23% increase in numbers of rough sleepersin England from 2010 to 2011 – Rough Sleeping Counts&Estimates.
The vision to end rough sleeping is that, no one new to thestreet should spend a second night out, no one should live on the street, no oneshould return to the streets once they have been helped off them, andultimately and finally no one should arrive on the streets.