Over the first ten weeks of the project, 313 individuals have been supported. The charity’s expanded team of housing support officers (HSOs) have drawn on their housing expertise and positive relationships with local partners to advocate and problem-solve housing issues for people experiencing homelessness. The HSO team aims to move people stranded in temporary accommodation into settled housing as quickly as possible, free up emergency accommodation for those in need, and support those without a bed for the night.

The Winter Project model this year was designed to meet the current needs of people in Glasgow facing homelessness; around 1,800 of whom are stuck in temporary accommodation. The 2024/25 structure was informed by the expertise of local partners like the Simon Community, LHM360 and Glasgow City Mission’s own project workers, who all work closely with people experiencing homelessness all year round.

Despite the slow nature of the housing process, 50 of the 313 people HSOs have supported have already moved into accommodation that is more permanent. The team expects this number to continue increasing over the next few weeks.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “We are delighted with the positive impact this year’s Winter Project has had so far on the lives of vulnerable members of our community, and we are excited about the potential difference this extension could make. The extension gifts the Winter Project team time to support more people into settled accommodation than we previously thought was possible. An additional two months also gives HSOs the opportunity to develop deeper, meaningful relationships with people they support.

“In doing so, the team hopes to bring the Winter Project back to Glasgow City Mission’s core value of cherishing deep and authentic community, and tackle the isolation and hopelessness that many of these individuals experience. The team also hopes these relationships will teach them how best to support individuals emotionally, socially and practically. They aim to use this knowledge to help each person build a stable, fuller life for themselves. So far, the Winter Project team have aimed to achieve this by connecting individuals with physical and mental health support, such as registering them with GPs or referring them to our Women’s group for women with experience of trauma.

“Group trips have also been arranged to free local attractions across the city to provide individuals with the chance to learn more about Glasgow, connect with others who share similar experiences and build a community. Opportunities to develop education and employment prospects have also been provided by linking individuals into Glasgow City Mission’s Urban project, which provides college-accredited IT courses and assistance with improving CV, job search and interview preparation.

“We would like to thank our generous supporters for making the extension to our Winter Project from four to six months possible. Their support gives more local people the chance to access help for meeting their immediate needs, and assistance with building a future of their choosing.”