Welcome to the street outreach good practice handbook

Homeless Link’s good practice companion for street outreach is now online FREE.

We are delighted to publish this resource online for easy consultation, free, on our website.

The handbook has been made in conjunction with the new Streets Ahead: Good practice in tackling rough sleeping through street outreach services report produced by Homeless Link and Communities and Local Government.

The handbook is in five parts:

• Theory - sets the theoretical context of street outreach services and the factors that affect their operation.
• Creating a positive service - outlines the measures needed to set up and develop an outreach service and its staff.
• Accommodation - details the different accommodation options available to rough sleepers.
• Delivering a quality service - outlines the practical approaches to street outreach working.
• Resources – examines published literature on rough sleeping and related issues.

The contents page gives the full list of materials covered by this handbook

This new section of our website is dedicated to street outreach services who support rough sleepers off the streets. It features good practice guidance and considerations for a wide range of issues for services from setting up a service and staff involvement to accommodation, reconnections and the role of enforcement.

The checklist questions are a new tool to raises the issues that should be considered with particular topics.

It is designed for frontline homelessness service staff, service managers and local authority commissioners to act as a resource (with examples of existing good practice) that supports and complements their work.

This online handbook acts as an accessible guide to good practice in the sector that can be regularly updated and covers the key issues relevant to street outreach work. The website aims to present content in a format that is accessible, easy to navigate and easy to read. It is envisaged that all outreach staff can make use of it on a regular or ad-hoc basis, reading through the sections and parts or searching for a specific topic or answer to a question.

We have not printed the material in hard copy form because it will be regularly updated and added to, and maintaining the content online allows for it to be an evolving and improving source of good practice. The webpages can be printed, see here for more on printing from the handbooks.

The sample policies and case studies provides material for staff and volunteers to take back to their teams to discuss when reviewing and implementing policy and good practice. All comments are welcomed, on the content, and presentation of the website.

Please email the project coordinator with any suggestions, comments or errors.