Streetlink can be a lifeline to people sleeping rough. But what is StreetLink and how does it work?
If you want to contact Streetlink for yourself or someone you see:
Visit their website thestreetlink.org.uk.
What is Streetlink and what do they do?
Streetlink is a service that allows people to send an alert when they see someone sleeping rough, or if they are facing homelessness on the streets, to contact local support services, like The Connection at St. Martin’s. People can also self refer to StreetLink when rough sleeping.
It is not an outreach service or a source of accommodation. It connects people sleeping rough and local homelessness services to get people off the streets quickly.
Unfortunately, Streetlink receive over 60,000 alerts a year so they’re a very busy service.
It’s important to know that StreetLink usually takes 2-3 days to reach someone sleeping rough. So, it’s not an emergency service. If you’re worried about someone’s immediate safety or well-being, please call 999.
Despite this, we know StreetLink works. We support many people who came to us via StreetLink. Without these alerts, many people would still be rough sleeping.
How does Streetlink work?
Using Streetlink is simple just chat, log in and alert!
If you’re reporting a person sleeping rough, remember to provide as much detail as possible. This includes the person’s location so that outreach teams can find the person rough sleeping.
For example, instead of reporting, ‘The person is sleeping in St. James’s Park’ you could say, ‘The man with long brown hair in a red coat is sleeping on a bench in St James’s Park, right outside St. James’s Café. The location is cheek.locate.melon on What3Words‘.
Click here to use Streetlink today.
Why is The Connection involved?
StreetLink don’t have their own outreach teams. Instead local charities, like The Connection in Westminster, receive the alert and meet with the person in need of support.
Our day time Street Engagement Team provides a proactive response to rough sleeping in Westminster, which has the highest number of people sleeping rough in England.
Where we go in our outreach services is guided by referrals we receive from the local community and our own knowledge of rough sleeping across the borough.
During shifts, Advisors identify and engage with people who are new to the streets, as well as checking in on people we already know.
Once we’ve engaged with people, we work to help them resolve their homelessness through a range of different support services – such as mental health or substance use treatment – to encourage them to move away from a life on the streets.
Our Advisors take time to carefully establish and develop trusting relationships with people on the street – where we find them. We focus on their priorities, not our own, and work at their pace.
How Can I Help?
By donating to The Connection, you can help fund our Outreach Team to please sure someone is always available to people sleeping rough once we’ve been contacted.