Petrus has secured a funding boost that will help more people avoid homelessness, move into settled accommodation and build the skills needed to maintain a home for the long term.
We’ve been awarded support from the Government's Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund, delivered by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). The funding will support the Petrus Hub over the next three years.
The investment will fund two dedicated Homelessness Prevention Workers and a part-time Tenancy Skills Coach, enabling Petrus to expand its outreach work and provide practical skills development to help people sustain their tenancies after experiencing homelessness.
By strengthening support both before and after someone moves into accommodation, Petrus will be able to help people find stability and reduce the risk of people falling back into homelessness.
The funding will allow Petrus to continue its hard work:
- Preventing people from entering rough sleeping
- Supporting people into settled accommodation
- Helping people sustain their accommodation and avoid returning to rough sleeping
- Reaching people from locally identified priority and underserved groups
Sonia Denham, Managing Director of Petrus, said:
"This funding is fantastic news for Petrus and, most importantly, for the people we support.
"We know that a home is only part of the solution. Many people need ongoing support, practical skills and trusted relationships to help them rebuild their lives and maintain their independence.
"This investment will allow us to continue to support people through the Hub, in alignment with the National Plan to end homelessness, working to make homelessness rare, brief and non-reoccurring."
"Every day we see the difference that early intervention and ongoing support can make. This funding will help ensure people have the opportunity to build a stable future and avoid homelessness for good."
The Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund was established to help small and medium-sized charities strengthen community-based support, improve services for people experiencing homelessness and help individuals live independently. The programme places local communities at the heart of efforts to prevent homelessness and reduce rough sleeping.
For more than 50 years, Petrus has supported people facing homelessness and housing insecurity across Rochdale, Oldham and Burnley. This new funding will help the charity continue its mission to end homelessness and create safe places where all people can flourish.