Many CRNS members work not only to reduce waste but also to help tackle poverty in Scotland. They do this by providing furniture to people moving out of homelessness, creating training and employment opportunities, developing befriending schemes and many other innovative projects. For this reason our Furniture Co-ordinator is funded through the Homelessness Task Force to help CRNS members link in with Local Authorities, housing associations and other organisations dedicated to tackling homelessness.
In 1999 the Homelessness Task Force was established and produced a number of recommendations aimed at preventing and tackling homelessness in Scotland. From these recommendations, amendments were made to the Housing (Scotland) Act and a commitment was made to make everyone who is homeless entitled to a home by 2012. This approach is groundbreaking and Scotland is recognised as having the best homelessness legislation in Western Europe.
The CRNS Furniture Co-ordinator is funded by the Scottish Government and her role is to help the CRNS membership connect to the work being done by national and local government as well as linking with other third sector organisations.
As part of the work in linking furniture reuse projects to local authorities, members can receive support in the tendering and contracting process as well as facilitating working partnerships with other providers either alone or as part of a consortium.