Coventry Frontline Network

Coventry Citizens Advice run the Coventry Frontline Network, which offers support to frontline workers who work with people experiencing homelessness in Coventry and beyond.

The Coventry Frontline Network facilitates quarterly events, which provide a regular opportunity to bring together frontline workers in the Coventry area to network, share expertise, and experience, and link to decision makers.

Covid-19 updates

Information for homelessness services

The Coventry Frontline Network has created a real time document to provide local and national updates for the homelessness sector. Please see here.

The document helps to support knowledge sharing amongst frontline staff and agencies on how services are being impacted by Covid-19 and how this is affecting support provision to people experiencing homelessness.

If you are not already registered with the Coventry Frontline Network, and or would like to receive their updates, please contact Zoë Titchener at ztitchener@coventrycab.org.uk

Recent updates include:

Coventry City Council updates on HRA homelessness services and Community support for Coventry during C-19. This includes an update on “Operation Shield” – ensuring those most at risk from COVID are supported to stay at home for a period of at least 12 weeks, with a regular supply of essential food and medication.
Community support includes a searchable map for mutual aid groups and food deliveries. Please see here.
All Coventry updates relating to food have been placed together in the real time doc- please search by “Coventry food provision”.
Coventry Women’s Partnership, Age UK, and the Coventry City Council benefits update.
This also includes a helpful overview of changes to Section 21 and related eviction processes and additional information in the DWP section on verifying ID for new UC claims. (If this can’t be done online, claimants will be asked biographical questions to prove ID. They will not be asked to visit the Jobcentre in person.)

Meetings

Amplifying your voice

Coventry Frontline Network - Section 21 Call For Evidence

The Coventry Frontline Network recently sought the views of frontline workers in Coventry and the wider midlands area, in relation to the Government's plan to remove Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988.

Their response considered the proposals suggested within the Government's 'A new deal for renting: 'Resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between landlords and tenants', from the perspective of frontline homelessness workers.

You can read the submission here.

Coventry Frontline Network response to: HRA call for evidence July 2019

The Coventry Frontline Network held sessions for frontline housing and homelessness workers to discuss the national Call for Evidence about the first year of the Homelessness Reduction Act.

You can read the Coventry Frontline Network response here.

Local Blogs

Influencing Local Decisions

Zoë Titchener has run the Coventry Frontline Network since its launch in September 2017.

In our first two years, we have seen the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act, the roll-out of Universal Credit in Coventry, and the creation of Coventry City Council’s new Housing & Homelessness strategy. We host a dedicated forum for frontline workers to meet and discuss these important topics, providing a space to hear their voices and allowing those voices to be heard by decision makers. The network is looking for better ways of working together, to improve outcomes for Coventry people who are vulnerably housed or experiencing homelessness.

Following the extension of the project until 2022, the Coventry network is looking forward to expanding its remit into the wider Midlands area, to ensure people working on the frontline can access the information and support that the national network has to offer. We are aiming to create a “network of networks” in the West Midlands Combined Authority and beyond.

For more information about the Coventry network, contact Zoë at: ztitchener@coventrycab.org.uk or on 02476 252 616.

Upcoming events

SMITF_frontline Friday, 16 April 2021 The April edition of our monthly newsletter has just gone out 📨 If you're a frontline worker supporting people experiencing homelessness take a look and subscribe to receive our round up of updates and opportunities: https://t.co/pteqJ2KuLW

SMITF_frontline Wednesday, 14 April 2021 https://t.co/D5balte9lZ LGBT homelessness: 'I had to put on a straight persona'

SMITF_frontline Friday, 09 April 2021 Local elections are coming up and council candidates are in listening mode now 📢 @HomelessLink have compiled useful advice about how you can take action to ensure homelessness and housing issues are addressed in your local area. Find out more: https://t.co/nh7iVDxkQK https://t.co/AJlo7Rf0FO

Coventry Frontline Network