Outreach
Reaching people where they are
What is outreach and what support do we provide?
Our Outreach team works across Horsham and Mid Sussex, finding and supporting people who are sleeping rough, often before sunrise.
Much of our work begins with an alert from Streetlink, a national service where anyone, anywhere can let us know if they see someone bedded down outside. We also act on information from local councils, members of the public and our own knowledge of the local area.
When we meet someone, our first step is to gently assess their situation – are they sleeping rough and what has led to this situation? From there, we provide immediate essentials such as food, water, sleeping bags or tents, and just as importantly, a listening ear. We then help people take the first steps towards longer-term stability: connecting them with housing officers, GPs, mental health services or support with benefits and ID.
Navigating the system together
Applying for homelessness support can be complex. When someone makes a homeless application, the local council has up to 56 days to make a decision. In that time, housing officers look at where a person has lived, whether they are eligible for benefits and how urgent their need is.
A key part of this process is the ‘priority need’ test, which assesses whether someone is more vulnerable than the average person sleeping rough – for example, because of serious health issues, mental ill-health, pregnancy or experiences of domestic abuse. People who meet this test are entitled to emergency accommodation but many won’t be.
For those who don’t meet the strict criteria, the process can feel overwhelming. That’s where Outreach makes a difference: we stay alongside people, helping them navigate the system, gather the necessary evidence and access other forms of support such as healthcare, benefits advice or temporary shelter.
The realities of outreach work
Outreach is rarely straightforward. Our team covers a huge area across Horsham and Mid Sussex – from busy towns to remote villages and woodland. People often go to great lengths to stay hidden, so finding them means spotting the small signs: flattened grass, broken bracken, steamed-up car windows or muddy footprints. We rely on local knowledge, Streetlink alerts and What3Words to reach those out of sight.
The work can be physically tough – heading out before dawn in the dark, rain or cold – and emotionally demanding. When we meet someone, we often know very little about their circumstances. Sometimes it’s a person in deep crisis with complex health needs; other times it’s someone facing a short-term setback who needs guidance. Either way, our team balances empathy with practical support, drawing on a wide range of skills.
The Outreach team often describe themselves as “jack of all trades”. Our specialists work with people living outside and in temporary accommodation: outreach workers providing immediate help; a mental health outreach worker guiding people to healthcare; an employment and skills worker supporting confidence and move-on plans; and complex needs navigators offering long-term support. In a single day, a worker might help someone apply for benefits, sort out ID, signpost to services or simply offer food and a sleeping bag. Above all, the role requires patience, persistence, and compassion – supporting people at the edges of society until they feel able to take the next step.
How you can support the Outreach team
There are many ways to help people sleeping rough. One of the most effective is using Streetlink to send an alert if you see someone bedded down outside. By sharing a description, location and as much detail as possible, you give our Outreach team the best chance of finding that person and offering support. Even if they’re already known to services, your alert could stop someone slipping through the cracks.
If someone is sofa surfing, the best first step is to encourage them to contact their local council and start a homeless application, either online or in person.
You can also make a difference by:
- Volunteering: join early-morning outreach shifts alongside our workers.
- Gifting essentials: items such as water, protein bars, tinned food with ring-pulls, toiletries, sleeping bags, tents and waterproof groundsheets are always needed.
- Raising awareness: the more people understand the realities of rough sleeping, the more compassion and support we can generate. Sharing what you’ve learnt from this page is a simple but powerful way to help.