SquareOne News Feature
by Katie Smyth
Located underneath a block of student flats in a quiet corner of Holyrood Road the Cowgate Centre’s unobtrusive exterior belies the vital work that goes on behind its heavy blue door. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Scotland’s only drop in centre for homeless people is open day and night 365 days a year, offering a unique range of services. Manager Lorna Gunn chats to SquareOne about the efforts of her dedicated team.
“Basically at night we’re a crisis centre,” she explains. “If you find yourself on the street with nowhere else to go you can arrive here. Staff will try and find you accommodation whether it’s a hostel, B&B, or if you’re young we will contact the out of hours emergency social work department to try and find you a safe place to be.” However, aware of the limitations to what it can actually achieve the Cowgate Centre also has facilities for homeless to sleep in the centre, offering mats for 40 people to rest on.
Pressure for space and a desire to help people truly in need, and not just those who find themselves too wasted after a night on the booze, means that the centre implements a strict door policy. Gunn explains two staff man the CCTV guarded door at all times and all visitors must sign a register. She claims, “It’s mostly for the safety of the individuals who use our service. We like to know who’s in the building, what kind of state they’re in and what their general needs are.” Those felt to be too intoxicated will not make it over the threshold but will be asked to go for a walk and come back when they are sober.
It is said that you are only ever two pay cheques away from homelessness and Gunn cannot attribute it to a few specific factors: “People come here who have had marriage break-ups and they’ve had to sell their house, we have people who have alcohol or drugs problems, people who have arrived from the EU who were promised jobs and their jobs have fallen through.” The latter can also be counselled at the centre by a multi-lingual staff.
However, the centre does not just operate as another shelter. During the day it runs a variety of drop-in surgeries to help the homeless get back on their feet. “We’ve got English classes, employability classes, benefit agencies coming in. We’ve got an alcohol support group and a drugs support group,” Gunn explains, naming just a few of the services on offer. The Cowgate Centre forms just one part of FourSquare, an Edinburgh wide initiative whose various outlets cover every aspect of homelessness from basic shelter to improving an individual’s employability, (through Spectrum) to providing basic start-up furniture for tenancies.
MSP Sarah Boyack lauded the many achievements of the FourSquare organisation at its 30th Anniversary Launch last November: “the organisation was the first to set up a Stopover for homeless young people, with Follow Up the first to provide tenancy support to ex-homeless people and the Cowgate day and overnight centre the first to achieve registration with the Care Commission.”
The Cowgate Centre sees itself as the first port of call for people without a roof over their heads. The highly trained staff can put them in touch with the relevant authorities and organisations, acting as an advocate. Gunn says, “We can link you with people who will help you budget, get you into employment, get you back on the straight and narrow. Normally within 28 days we will try and move you on from our service.”
The centre deals with a high turn over of people helping 8000 individuals last year, including over 500 who made use of the morning drop-in service. Gunn is keen to stress the close working relationship with the Edinburgh City Council who fund FourSquare. Over the past few years the Council has developed a new homeless strategy. The second phase, to be launched 25 May aims to eradicate homelessness by 2012 and is already looking at means of prevention such as helping people sustain their tenancies. “I think there will always be a turnover but I think Edinburgh Council is addressing these issues,” says Gunn.
Another aspect of the Cowgate Centre’s work the Council aids is the morning gym project. By issuing free leisure passes at the Commonwealth Pool the partnership have managed to get more people off the streets, promoting well-being instead of searching for drink.
However the centre also relies heavily on donations. While philanthropists such as a certain Mr X have provided the means to take people out of the homeless scene for a day and enjoy go-karting, Go Ape and fishing, the centre also welcomes clothing, towels and toiletries. Gunn claims, “People can arrive with only the clothes on their back and it’s quite degrading. At the minute we are a bit low on gent’s toiletries.” Even a half-empty bottle of shampoo would be a welcome addition to the sparse armoury at the centre. Donations are vital if the Cowgate Centre is to continue its hard work for the next 30 years and anyone wishing to help should view the “Just Giving and Fundraising” page of the FourSquare website at www.foursquare.org.uk. As the only Care Commission registered centre in the whole of Scotland the Cowgate Centre stands at the forefront of homelessness prevention and provides a crucial element of FourSquare’s fight against people sleeping rough.
