Church Army calls for Pathways out of deep exclusion for homeless people

29 June 2007

Church Army Chief Executive Mark Russell has called on new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown to provide fresh vision and drive in tackling the deep exclusion faced by many homeless people who have too often not received the public services they need and find themselves ricocheted round the system.

Russell has added his name to a letter from Jenny Edwards, Chief Executive of Homeless Link published in yesterday's Times Newspaper.

The letter praises the Labour Government for leading the world in reducing rough sleeping and providing support for homeless people through increased capital investment and in working in close partnership with third sector agencies, but calls on the new Prime Minister to prioritise the sixty per cent of the people using frontline services that are not only homeless but have multiple needs, including addictions, mental health issues, challenging behaviour or a history of contact with the criminal justice system.

The letter explicitly calls fora Government PSA target on multiple needs that recognises the deep exclusion of homeless people as a strong lever to ensure services will deliver the integrated package of support that will move people out of deep exclusion forever.

Mark Russell who supported the launch of this year's  Homelessness Sunday in January adds; "Ten years ago the Labour Government dedicated itself to tackling rough sleeping as the most extreme manifestation of social exclusion. We believe that, with renewed leadership, it is possible to change fundamentally the lives of tens of thousands of homeless people who are waiting for a chance to fulfill their potential and bring hope to their lives."