West Midlands

Regional Groups
Cold Weather Provision

Neelam Sunder is Homeless Link's Regional Manager for the West Midlands. Her main focus in the region is to support homelessness organisations to improve their services and become Places of Change.

About the region

In 2007/8 Homeless Link's research found that in the West Midlands there were:

  • 13 day centres
  • 22 direct access hostels providing over 1,200 bed spaces.

Homeless Link's Local Homelessness Statistics Tables and National Summary Table show a wide variety of the latest local figures on statutory and non-statutory homelessness, planned moves and numbers of services.

homeless link's work in the West Midlands

As well as promoting the Places of Change agenda Neelam has been working to help homeless
organisations to demonstrate how their work contributes to Local Area Agreements.

Neelam also supports local authorities to develop preventative responses to rough sleeping and
homelessness and works closely with Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the Government
Office for the West Midlands to help deliver key strategies in the region.

Recent events

From time to time the Regional Manager hosts free seminars and learning events on issues and topics which aim to support local authorities and providers to improve service delivery.
 
In July a cold weather provision seminar was organised for local authority lead officers and service providers responsible for planning cold weather provision.
 
In January, an information and good practice seminar on reducing evictions and abandonments from homelessness services was organised. All the information from this seminar and the presentations can be found on our website. Homeless Link has been working on a project funded by the Oak Foundation to gain a better understanding of why evictions and abandonments occur and to offer possible solutions to services. If you would like support to reduce evictions and abandonments in your service or area contact Neelam or Joanne Crellen.
 

Upcoming events 

There are currently no planned events.
 
For further information contact Neelam. 

PLACES OF CHANGE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS

In April 2008 Communities and Local Government awarded projects in the West Midlands a total of £10.75 million through its Places of Change Programme. Neelam has been supporting these projects to deliver quality homeless services.

Snow Hill Hostel (Midland Heart), Birmingham - The funding received from Places of Change will completely redevelop the service into 92 self contained units of accommodation for people who have been formerly homeless and young people with low incomes. Education, training and employment opportunities for residents will be at the very heart of the new service. Part of the funding will also be used to create a social enterprise where residents will learn baking skills. For more information contact either Pip Mayo or Steve Philpott. 

YMCA Erdington, Birmingham - The existing hostel in Erdington will be demolished and in its place a purpose built facility will be created. There will be 83 units of accommodation. The new building will include a covered atrium, open space, allotments and volunteering opportunities. For more information contact either Pip Mayo or Alan Fraser.

Carole Gething House (St Basils), Birmingham - This project has been completed. The funding was used to refurbish the existing hostel into a 24 unit supported accommodation project for young people, with en suite rooms and a flexible activity space. For more information contact either Pip Mayo or Jean Templeton.

St Georges HUB, Wolverhampton -  St Georges is a daycentre in the centre of Wolverhampton which has used the Places of Change funding to move to a more appropriate building, in which space has been made to deliver meaningful engagement activities. The charity is currently forming partnerships so that they can deliver a holistic package to service users from the new centre.

Reconnect Project, YMCA Burton on Trent - The funding will allow the YMCA to create a purpose built assessment daycentre for rough sleepers. The aim of the daycentre will be to work with clients to assess their needs and find accommodation. The funding will also be used to refurbish some existing accommodation which will be attached to the daycentre. This accommodation will provide 9 direct access beds and 4 secondary stage move-on units. For further information contact either Steve Payne at John Cox.

Salvation Army, Coventry - The Salvation Army in Coventry have plans to move their current provision to a new site and create a purpose built supported accommodation project which will have the capacity to accommodate 80 service users. For more details contact either John Stanway or Nathan Slinn.

About Neelam Sunder

Neelam Sunder is the Regional Manager for the West Midlands.

Prior to joining Homeless Link, Neelam was employed by Nacro at HM Prison Drake Hall where she was responsible for managing the housing advice centre for sentenced prisoners. Neelam spent two and half years in this post helping prisoners to secure accommodation for their release. Having worked with this client group, Neelam has gained a good understanding of the effects of homelessness. Neelam brings with her experience of working in partnership with The National Probation Service, Local Authorities, Social Services and various accommodation providers.

Neelam joined Homeless Link in 2006 and since then has worked with several hostels and day centres in the region. She has supported these services by facilitating access to engagement activities and education, training and employment opportunities, making links with organisations outside of the homelessness sector and providing training on improving service user involvement.

Neelam also works with a number of regional groups and networks. 

If you would like to know more about Homeless Link's work in the region contact Neelam on 07887 848562 or by email.