Anyone can become homeless, and sleeping rough is not only dangerous but can also have a long-term detrimental effect on your health. When members of the public see people sleeping on the streets they very often want to be able to help them but are often unsure of the best way to do this. The StreetLink mobile app StreetLink uses people who care, to connect people who need help, with those that can help them by enabling members of the public to alert local authorities and street outreach services in England and Wales about people they have seen sleeping rough. It is the first step you can take to ensure rough sleepers are connected to the local services and support available to them.
StreetLink is an innovative platform to engage the public in addressing a significant social issue. We use technology to take alerts about people sleeping rough, geo-code the data and relay the alert information to the closest local authority or services to the location that the person has been seen sleeping rough in to help them find the person on the streets and offer support.
The longer someone sleeps rough, the greater the risk that they will be become trapped on the streets and vulnerable to becoming a victim of crime, developing drug or alcohol problems, or experiencing problems with their health.
People who are sleeping rough may not be known to local services because they remain out of sight, bedding down at different times of night, and moving from place to place. Most people do not seek help and advice before sleeping rough and not all rough sleepers are aware of the advice and support available to them.
By using this app to alert us about a rough sleeper you’ll help connect that person to the local services available to help them and potentially provide the first step for someone towards a life away from the streets.