EDINBURGH’S new village for homeless people is set to be unveiled before Christmas, creating an “inclusive, compassionate community” for people affected by homelessness.
Social Bite, a sandwich chain which supports and employs homeless people, is in charge of the project, which aims to construct 10 two-bedroom homes on 1.5 acre plot of vacant council land.
The village will provide a safe living environment for up to 20 people from a homeless background for around 12 months at a time, before residents are encourage to make their transition back into permanent accommodation and employment.
Residents will include those living in unsupported temporary accommodation, shelters, hostels and B&Bs. They will be afforded a dedicated support team from Social Bite and Cyrenians to help them adjust back into society after their stay.
Co-founder of Social Bite, Josh Littlejohn, said: “We’re so pleased that the Social Bite village will be up and running this year and we’re edging closer and closer to creating what we believe can be an effective alternative to a broken temporary accommodation system for people struggling with homelessness”.
He thanked rich and famous volunteers, including former Olympian Chris Hoy, who slept rough last December to raise £500,000, transforming the project “from a nice idea into a reality”.
“We’re about to break ground on the site and the first house will be displayed in St Andrews Square throughout August for anyone to come and see. The end result will be an inclusive, compassionate community that will provide a vital support network to people who are ready to be helped back into society.
Littlejohn believes the development could potentially set a precedent for tackling homelessness.
“The village is only a small part of a much bigger answer required to end homelessness”, he explained, “but it could be a blueprint for how social enterprise, charity, council and corporates work together on a solution that makes a difference”.
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