ARAP/ACRS Hampshire Bridging Accommodation Support Service (Withdrawn)

UPDATE JUNE 2022

Following a potential substantial change in the scope of the requirement the Council has decided not to proceed with this opportunity.

Hampshire County Council, alongside the 11 District, Borough and City councils, are supporting work which is underway across the whole of Government to ensure the Afghans who stood side by side with us in conflict, their families and those at highest risk who have been evacuated, are supported as they now rebuild their lives in the UK. This includes those who assisted the UK's efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such democracy, women's rights and freedom of speech, rule of law; and vulnerable people, including women and girls at risk and members of minority groups at risk.

We are seeking a supporting organisation, or group of organisations, to help provide necessary temporary support and assistance to families who have arrived in the UK and are accommodated temporarily in a hotel in the local authority area to help them to adjust to life in the UK, until a transfer to permanent housing and the care of another local authority is found.

Support should be provided in a way that empowers individuals into independence, to build their skills and access services independently and deal with everyday issues themselves. This will involve both some on-site presence, coordinated by the provider even where other statutory and voluntary organisations are involved, but consideration should also be given to how families can be supported remotely. It is proposed to procure a single provider, or consortium of providers, to deliver services across all Hampshire Afghan hotels over a 12 month period.

We welcome approaches from organisations who may be interested in working alongside Local Authority staff to support families through:

• Providing meet and great services for new families, and regular onside support within the hotels
• Supporting families to be ready to move into longer-term accommodation
• Support families and other organisations supporting them to access appropriate translation arrangements
• Support residents to access local transport themselves
• Support Health and Social Care colleagues to enable families to be referred to, and access services, and share the latest Covid-19 advice and support
• Support families in accessing documentation and key services, such as Biometric Residency Passes, National Insurance numbers and setting up bank accounts
• Support families to access offers of donations