Fresh start for those on a slippery slope to a life sleeping rough on our streets

But times have moved on, and policy makers have recognised what those organisations had long realised – that providing an emergency roof for the night, though important, simply isn't enough to make inroads into the underlying issues.

Last week, Housing Minister Grant Shapps announced that rough sleeping figures for England were at an 11-year low of 440. But he also said he was sceptical that the counting methods used accurately reflected the situation on the streets.

"Only councils considered to have a rough sleeping problem have been required to conduct counts – so in some of our biggest cities, while local people would be acutely aware of the problem, official street counts were not conducted. That's why I will shortly publish plans for a complete overhaul of the way the problem of rough sleeping

is assessed."

The need not only to refurbish outdated hostels and day centres and provide opportunities for training, new skills and support in finding employment was prioritised by the last government, which provided 80m capital improvement funding for the Places of Change programme, managed by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

It currently funds 95 projects in 62 areas of the country and in Yorkshire and the Humber, 4,385,568 has been invested in six Places of Change schemes:

n The Grimsby Salvation Army hostel scheme will refurbish the existing facilities and provide training, education and opportunities.

n Harrogate Homeless Project will upgrade an existing hostel and give training and education space.

n An upgrade to Dock House and Harbour Hostel in Hull will improve accommodation and training facilities.

n The Create social enterprise shop in Leeds.

n The Riverside Group/Ministry of Defence Scheme at Catterick in North Yorkshire will offer housing, gateway training and employment advice for ex-services personnel and veterans who have become homeless

n The conversion of St George's Crypt in Leeds has enabled the creation of individual short-term sleeping units for entrenched rough sleepers and dedicated training facilities

The Yorkshire Post talked to those who need or have used the services of two of these Places of Change projects.

Riverside group mod scheme, catterick

Research done in the 1990s showed that around 25 per cent of rough sleepers in London were ex-armed services' personnel. The Ministry of Defence decided to put more concerted efforts into the planned resettlement of staff when they were discharged and the idenfication of potentially vulnerable individuals. But still some former services personnel fall through the net.

Among other initiatives, in 2000 a programme called Spaces (Single Persons' Accommodation Centre for Ex-Servicemen and Women) was established at Catterick Garrison, to provide housing, training and employment advice and support nationally.

In partnership with social landlord Riverside ECHG, the Galleries affordable supported housing apartments for 13 people was established in the centre of Richmond, with tenants allowed to stay up to two years while they get their lives on track. With the help of land donated by the MoD and 2m from the HCA towards total costs of 4.7m, The Beacon is under construction and will provide supported temporary and permanent accommodation, training for employment and on-site health and advice services.

n Trevor Morris, ex-serviceman and ECHG's MoD support manager, says: "We get a fair number of people who've been sleeping rough in a tent, in a car or in railways stations. Our main thrust is in helping people who've left the armed services in the last six months, but sometimes a person can become homeless 10 or 20 years later.

"Nobody collects statistics on ex-services personnel as a statutory homeless group, so we don't actually know how many there are, but 20,000 people leave the services each year and some will become homeless for a mixture of reasons. We opened files on 720 people last year who were seen as vulnerable to homelessness."

n Reece Dinsdale, 24, served for five years with the Royal Logistics Corps and Marines, including two years in Iraq. He became traumatised after experiencing front-line duty and witnessing the death of a close friend, who was blown up in front of him.

"I went into the Army because I wasn't getting on at home, really. I did well and became a Lance Corporal. But after seeing a good friend die like that, I went downhill. I was sent straight back into combat although I didn't feel ready. It got to the point where I'd had enough of the system and asked to sign off.

"A mate said I could stay with him when I left, and I sold all my belongings to pay my way. I ended up 'sofa surfing' at different mates' places with nowhere else to go, then I heard about Spaces and went to them.

"They got me a flat at the Galleries for 11 a week while I'm on benefits. I came out with debts to pay off, and I'm trying to do that bit by bit. I've done qualifications to become a bouncer, but what I'd really like is to get a heavy goods vehicle driving licence."

n Steve Bowan, 43, signed on with the RAF for 22 years, and was a mechanic building Tornado engines for 10 years before he was given a medical discharge following a motorcycle accident (on holiday), which led to one leg being amputated. "I loved my job and was devastated when I had to leave. I was married with a son, but my wife and I split up. I lost my job and retrained as a mortgage adviser but then the economy dipped and I had no work. I was homeless for a short while and it was awful, but I came up to Richmond and through Spaces signed up for courses including management. I'm now working for them as a trainee housing manager at the advice service at Catterick Garrison, helping other ex-services people around the country."

St George's crypt, leeds

The Crypt has offered refuge to the homeless since 1935. Up to the early 1990s, around 100 people could be put up for the night in very basic facilities, but with hot food and company provided.

The 1.1m from the Places of Change programme has meant individual private sleeping 'pods' are provided, with flexibility of sleeping up to six more in bad weather. Some regular service users become volunteers at the Crypt and through its educational advice and support have moved into employment and stable accommodation. Some nights the Crypt could be filled twice over; on colder nights, extra people are crammed in and staff take blankets out to those on the street. The council and other hostels also provide facilities for the homeless in the city.

n Martin Patterson of St George's, says: "What we've all learned is that we don't have to accept that people become homeless and stay homeless and we simply warehouse them. Lack of housing is only one element. Education, health, family breakdown, unemployment and disaffection are all part of it. Better facilities for the homeless reflect a more human element to their support and care." Twenty per cent of the Crypt's 45 staff and 80 volunteers are former service users.

n David Ellis, 49:" I was an apprentice footballer with Leeds United when I was 15, but I fell into bad company and took to drinking cider. It got worse and worse, and I got into crime. My family just couldn't deal with me. I walked the streets, living rough, moving around a lot.

"The problem went on for 20 years. I used to come to the Crypt to eat and sometimes stay. I was obnoxious and binge drinking at least three times a week. A year ago, I decided I wanted to change, and with help of outreach workers I got a little back-to-back house and I've begun volunteering at the Crypt. Ian, my support worker, is fantastic and he still works with me. I still drink a bit and would like to stop. I've wasted a lot of years, but I'm pleased they've trusted me to volunteer and help others."

n Daryl Vaughan, 28: "From 15 onwards I was involved with the criminal element, and my mum kicked me out at 16 to teach me a lesson. I sniffed solvents, stole motorbikes. At one stage I moved from a hostel into a council flat and my family gave me furniture, but I ended up selling it all for drink. Eventually I got a long sentence for robbery and while in prison I did English and Maths NVQs, a computer certificate, business studies and catering qualifications. I've been out of trouble for four years but I'm still struggling to get a job because of my past. I lived in Faith Lodge (run by the Crypt) while I got myself back together and have a flat now. I've been volunteering at the Crypt for 18 months and have been learning music production and social care. I'd like to work at a youth centre, teaching kids who've had problems so they don't go the way I did."