NOMS regions
The South West Accommodation Gateway
The South West Accommodation Gateway (SWAG) is a national pilot project to test out the effectiveness of the Gateway model in meeting offenders’ accommodation needs.
The South West was selected to run this national pilot due to the:
- particular challenges it faces in relation to affordable housing
- opportunities presented by the well developed partnerships in the South West
- availability of data on offender housing needs from the SWing project
How and why is SWAG funded?
SWAG was originally funded by the Ministry of Justice until March 2008. As a pilot project, it has been the focus for learning about the effectiveness of the Gateway model in meeting offenders’ accommodation needs - in order to reduce re-offending.
Other advantages of reducing the homelessness of offenders are improved risk management of offenders in the community and enhanced community safety.
An independent evaluation will be completed by June 2008. With support from NOMS Partnerships and local partners all three Gateway services are expected to continue during 2008/09.
What will SWAG achieve?
1. To establish multi-agency one-stop shops (Gateways), based in the communities in which offenders intend to live, providing information & advice to enable offenders (both in prison and the community) to access accommodation & associated support.
2. To establish strategic relationships with housing providers & housing support providers, seeking to influence access to accommodation & the availability of offender accessible housing.
3. To establish strategic and operational links between the Gateways and statutory and voluntary sector providers of complementary health, advice and social care services.
4. To establish mechanisms to evidence the accommodation outcomes achieved for offenders; to undertake qualitative work to evaluate the link between accommodation outcomes and re-offending.
5. To estimate financial savings achieved via investment in the Gateway model.
6. To establish what works in relation to the Accommodation Gateway model and identify critical success factors in the development and operation of gateway services.
Partners in the pilot
Liz Hill, Regional Offender Manager, is the Chair of SWAG’s Project Advisory Board. Current members are:
- Lorna Windmill, Deputy Head, Partnership Unit and Head of Policy, NOMS
- Rob Fenwick, South West Area Reducing Re-offending & Change Manager, HMPS Area Office
- Sandra Gould, Partnership Support Officer - GOSW (Crime & Drugs Team)
- Martin Sollars, South West Development Manager, CLINKS
- Dr Ruth Shakespeare, Consultant, Public Health Team, GOSW
- Thoss Shearer, Director of Housing, GOSW
- Siobhan Larking, Team Leader, Homelessness Policy and Legislation Division, Department for Communities and Local Government
- Phil Harrison, Regional Business Development Manager, Job Centre Plus
