Trailblazer Programme: Housing and Homelessness Training

This course is for staff who work with families, young people and single person households who may be at risk of homelessness. The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 has introduced a duty on specified public authorities, (see below) to refer customers that may be homeless or threatened with homelessness to a local housing authority (LHA). This duty commences October 2018. It is offered via the OSCB as multi-agency training but is delivered by the Oxfordshire Trailblazer Programme.

 Aim and Objective:

 To raise awareness of the range of housing options available to customers and how to navigate them.

By the end of the session you will understand how to:

• Identify potential solutions to a housing problem
• Contact and / or apply for housing assistance from a range of providers
• Describe the Homelessness Reduction Act
• Notify a local housing authority via the Oxfordshire Duty to Refer procedure.

Target Audience:

For those who work in specified bodies with the Duty to Refer listed below and those in the voluntary sector providing advice and support to households across Oxfordshire

Bodies with the duty to refer

• prisons;
• youth offender institutions;
• secure training centres;
• secure colleges;
• youth offending teams;
• probation services (including community rehabilitation companies);
• Jobcentre Plus;
• social service authorities;
• emergency departments;
• urgent treatment centres; and,
• hospitals in their function of providing inpatient care.