ONE-on-one support is to be offered to the homeless thanks to £990,000 of new funding.

The Forest of Dean District Council has helped secure the Government Social Impact Bond cash over the next four years to provide extra support for long-term homeless people in Gloucestershire.

A new organisation will be set up to deliver the new service, which has been successful in America and other parts of Europe, and will begin its work in October.

The new service will work with around 110 people across the county who have a long-term history of rough sleeping or have spent many years interacting with homeless services.

Cllr Carole Allaway-Martin (Con, Coleford Central), Forest of Dean Council Cabinet member for housing and well-being, said: “We are pleased to be a partner in this important project, which will provide one on one help for people who find themselves in a homeless situation. The whole community will benefit from this project.”

The new project will support existing services, which include the council’s Housing Options team and supported accommodation and community-based support services funded by Gloucestershire County Council.

Homeless people may resort to sleeping rough in the Forest, and some may migrate to the urban areas of the county.

Many long-term homeless people have extreme and complex needs and need tailored one-on-one support to get them off the streets and into accommodation.

Professionally trained members of staff called ‘navigators’ will work with small caseloads, building a genuine rapport and level of trust with each individual person.

This level of support will continue through every step of their journey, even when the individual is successfully housed.

This innovative support will help those who have not responded to previous and traditional services.

Its purpose is to help each individual get the support they need from both mental and physical healthcare, drug and alcohol services, education, training opportunities and housing.

Cllr Kathy Williams, (Con, Longlevens), Cabinet member for long term care at Gloucestershire County Council, added: “We’re aware that the current services aren’t reaching everyone.

“This new personalised approach will help us specifically support people who need it the most.”

Additionally, the existing countywide homeless outreach team will be able to focus much more heavily on ‘no second night out’ rapid response with new rough sleepers.

Members of the public are encouraged to refer people they believe to be street homeless to the P3 Outreach team, via www.streetlink.org.uk or the Streetlink phone app, or 0300 500 0914.

Gloucester City Council led on the bid in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council, the Clinical Commissioning Group and the Forest council and other district councils.