ECHG: King George's Project - The Gateway Programme

UK Housing Award Winner 2008 - Meeting the Needs of Vulnerable People

King George's is a 68 bed supported housing project run by English Churches Housing Group (ECHG) in the heart of Westminster, catering for homeless men with high support needs. An established housing project, in spring 2007 King George's undertook a major groundbreaking transformation as a direct response to the increasing numbers of chaotic long-term drug users they were seeing.

King George's transformation saw the development of the innovative "Gateway Programme" which now offers a six week induction programme for drugs users, followed by a designated pathway through the project, allowing them to progress to greater independence and be clear of drugs. In response, ECHG now has an almost 100% success rate of positive engagement with clients at the project; not one single overdose since the Gateway Programme started; and drastically reduced rates of drugs use.