Teignbridge District Council and Exeter City Council are stepping up their homelessness support with a new campaign aimed at highlighting all the good work that goes on in the area and raising awareness of the issue.

The two councils have teamed up to launch Homelessness Awareness Week which runs from 9 to 13 October. The social media campaign is focused around a theme of help. You can find out more and participate in the discussion by using the hashtag #Exeteignhomeless

Over five days, both councils will be highlighting what help there is for people, how they can go about getting support, how people who aren’t homeless can help and the success stories of those who have turned their lives around.

During the week, starting on Monday, videos will be posted on Facebook and Twitter showing what work goes on in Teignbridge and Exeter to tackle homelessness. Daily posts will highlight how the councils work to prevent homelessness occurring, with early interventions and close partnership working. The posts will shine a light on the work carried out by a host of agencies including:
•HITS and THAT
•Young Devon
•Westward Housing
•Homemaker Southwest
•Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
•St Petrocks
•Julian House
•Exeter CVS & CoLab
•Splitz
•Gabriel House
•Esther Community
•Community Housing Aid
•Prison Services
•Independent Futures

The week will finish with a drop-in event at Exeter Guildhall on Friday 13 October, where people will be able to pop in between 12 and 2pm and find out more about how the councils and its partners are tackling homelessness.

A Bit More Information about Teignbridge Temporary Accommodation –

TDC currently have 35 units of temporary accommodation. Albany House is owned by Teignbridge Council and is used as first stage emergency accommodation offering 10 units of accommodation. All units are self-contained with bathroom and small kitchenette. There are 17 units of Private Sector lease properties. These are used as second stage accommodation and 3 crash pads which are self-contained and used as first stage accommodation. There are also 5 STAR units of self-contained accommodation which are used for rough sleepers – this project has been very successful over the years with many people sustaining tenancies after going through the STAR Project.

What happens when all the contracted accommodation is full? –

Once all contracted accommodation is full TDC then have to use spot purchase B&B and this can be anywhere. If TDC have a duty to accommodate and the household has no one else they can stay with, then TDC have a duty to identify suitable temporary accommodation. Whilst TDC try to ensure that accommodation is in Teignbridge, TDC often have to fund placements outside of Teignbridge.