We have been deeply concerned to see an increase in people sleeping rough across the town in recent months and have been saddened by the two recent deaths.
With that in mind, we think it’s important to clearly explain Launchpad’s role in tackling homelessness in Reading – both for those who already know us, and for those who are new to our work – and to set this in the context of the wider local support system.
It has long been the case that responsibilities for different homelessness-related services are managed by a range of organisations in the town, alongside Reading Borough Council.
Each organisation tends to have areas of expertise – but rest assured we all work together to provide a comprehensive approach to homelessness.
Homelessness is a complicated and often misunderstood issue
Anyone can become homeless – all it takes is a few poor decisions, or simply some bad luck. It really can happen to anyone. Just as homelessness is not caused by one thing – there is not a single solution.
This is what Launchpad does in relation to homelessness.
We are a registered charity. We have contracts with Reading Borough Council to manage projects (namely The Pods and Nova) and provide supported housing and floating support as part of the homelessness pathway.
We run a free, confidential drop-in service three times a week, open to anyone who is homeless or at risk of losing their home.
We also have a dedicated ‘floating support’ team who work with families, couples and individuals who are at risk of becoming homeless for whatever reason. We help them address the root of their housing problem. People may phone us about their housing issue, email us or we see them at drop-in.
Our supported accommodation provides homes for people who have been referred to us by other agencies or have come through drop-in, have been assessed and meet the criteria for supported housing. People generally stay with us for up to two years before they move on into more independent living – this is what we are helping prepare them for.
Every person who is in our accommodation has a dedicated support worker who will help them overcome barriers, break the cycle of homelessness and get them back on their feet.
This often sees us liaising with other agencies, including Change, Grow, Live (the drugs and alcohol charity) and Citizens Advice.
The Nova Project (a trauma informed home for just women) and The Pods (modular homes for 40 single people with complex needs) are projects we manage on behalf of the council with our specialist support teams who are on site 24/7.
We also run the work and life skills centre in Cardiff Road, which is open every weekday to our clients and also to vulnerable people in the area who might need an extra bit of support. Anybody can refer themselves to the centre.
We have and extensive timetable of activities at the centre which is updated every month – you can see the March one here.
If you would like to know more about homelessness in reading – including what other homeless charities and agencies do – click here.
If you are worried about someone who is street homeless, please contact StreetLink – Connecting people sleeping rough to local services
In England, councils have a legal duty to help anyone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless within the next 56 days.
For more information, visit Homelessness – Reading Borough Council