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The Passage Engagement and Outreach Service reaches out to  vulnerable  people who are rough sleeping and dealing with complex mental health issues.

Our Engagement and Outreach Team works hard to build trust with individuals who are sleeping rough, many of whom are experiencing  undiagnosed mental health issues. The service was lauched in 2023 to include specialist mental health support which has helped the team to provide a more tailored, proactive approach to those experiencing street homelessness.

The latest data published by CHAIN (Combined Homelessness and Information Network) revealed that over 4,400 people are sleeping rough on the streets of London, of which nearly  half have been assessed as  also struggling with undiagnosed mental health issues. 

This exacerbates the concerning levels of extremely poor health experienced by  individuals who are rough sleeping. The startling fact is that the life expectancy of someone experiencing homelessness is around 30 years lower than that of the general population (ONS 2020.)

Colin Wiseman, our Engagement and Outreach Manager’s explains The Passage’s approach:

“We work with people in a way that best suits their individual needs, whether that is in the Resource Centre setting or in an outreach capacity, for as long as is needed. Our Complex Needs Worker,  Connal, provides personalised support and assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness who also have additional challenges, such as mental health issues, substance misuse, or other disabilities. We also work with a specialist mental health professional  to ensure our clients are supported to find a pathway off the street and into sustainable accommodation.”

The Passage is working hard to reach and support people who are sleeping rough – this can be even more challenging when mental health issues are present. If people do not get the specialist support that they urgently need the outcome can be devastating for the individual. Your support will go a long way – every £1 that you give will be doubled to £2 through matched funding. This means double the impact for people facing a homelessness crisis at no extra cost to you. You can increase your donation by 25% if you Gift Aid your donation at no extra cost to you.

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