Campaign promoting benefits of Supporting People to be launched

A new campaign promoting the benefits brought by Supporting
People aims to create a sea change in the way the controversial
programme is viewed, writes Simeon
Brody.

The Homeless Link campaign, to be launched in autumn to coincide
with an expected government consultation on the future of
Supporting People, will target policy makers, MPs and the
public.

It will attempt to counter the relentless bad press the
programme has received since its launch in 2003 by highlighting the
contribution projects funded through Supporting People have made to
people’s lives.

The scheme has previously faced criticism as a result of budget
cuts, a heavy administrative burden and problems with local
implementation.

The charity hopes that by moving the emphasis away from the
difficulties the programme has faced, the fund can more easily be
defended and even increased in the 2007 spending review.

HL’s director of policy, practice and campaigns, Dominic
Williamson, said: “We are definitely making a switch in our
emphasis on the campaigning to make sure people are aware what
Supporting People does.”