It’s a uniquely Manchester solution to one of the city’s biggest issues - and it’s already helping people turn their lives around.

Stop, Start, Go at Kashmir House in Cheetham Hill isn’t your average homeless hostel.

It isn’t about giving people a bed for a few nights. It’s about keeping people off the streets and helping them take back control of their lives.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham - who has vowed to end rough sleeping in the region by 2020 - stopped by this week to formally open the facility.

It has taken months of work to get the hostel up and running - and to make sure it’s a success.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

It isn’t about creating a revolving door of people from the streets moving from hostel to hostel.

The point is to get people off the streets for good, giving them all the support they need - for as long as they need.

They are asked what would really help them; to truly change their lives.

SSG provides medium term accommodation and support to get people into work or back into education.

There are 12 rooms, which are a lot cheaper than other hostels.

People are able to save money thanks to the low costs - and get help with life skills.

The M.E.N. visited the hostel to talk to the team and those already using the service.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

SSG feels more like a home than a hostel, with people socialising everywhere you look.

The centre has been open since August. It currently has 12 beds, but refurbishments are taking place to create a further three.

Manager Maria Marsden said: “I set the charity up to deliver the service in a different way.

“I just think there are some gaps and we feel that we’re going a long way to fill that gap, particularly with the working element.

“It’s like a family atmosphere and we try to capture the moment when they need help with an open door policy.

“They can come in whenever they need help as soon as it comes up, rather than waiting for an appointment.”

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

The final three rooms will be studios for people who are in work or about to start. People in those rooms will have a dedicated support worker to help them find their own place to stay within four to six weeks.

Steven Carter, from Salford, is one of those being helped. He’s been sleeping rough since April, when he was evicted from his home.

The 54-year-old said: “I’m just focussing on my mental health at the moment, with hopefully a job in the future.

“I’ve had a couple of problems and they’ve sorted them out more or less straight away.

“My hope is to go back on track and live my life. Up until now I’ve not really lived, I wouldn’t call it living. I’ve always been under a lot of pressure, but I’ve been a bit more relaxed and more secure at the moment.”

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Steven has had mental health problems for 20 years. He has struggled to hold down a job and has turned to different charities, including the Salvation Army and YMCA.

The SSG team is helping Steven with counselling sessions.

Others SSG guests include asylum seekers from war-torn countries.

There are other people from Greater Manchester who have been on the streets for years after being kicked out of their home.

Paul Bartle, 48, has been homeless for two years.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

He said: “I was on the streets after I split up with my missus after 13 years.

“I was in prison and when I came home I saw she’s got someone else, and then I ended up on the streets.”

Paul ended up sleeping rough on Market Street in the city centre. He volunteered at the Booth Centre, before being referred to SSG.

The team is helping him with his finances and to tackle his alcohol problem.

“I don’t think I’ll go back on the streets,” he added.

“They support me, they put me to a high standard. They tell me if I’ve done wrong or if I’ve not, it’s sorting my life out.

“I’m not drinking as much since being here, I’m seeing my brother and staying out with him.

“I’ve cut down a lot. I’m not getting any younger. This is what I want.”

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Mohamed Ibrahim, 28, is an asylum seeker. He came to the UK from Tripoli in Libya in 2012.

For a while he worked at a takeaway, but struggled to find affordable accommodation housing. He found himself homeless a year ago.

SSG staff have encouraged him to return to education. Mohamed now has an interview at a local college for English classes.

He said: “First step, an English course, next step, electrical work or welding. The staff helped me to apply and fill in forms, they’re nice and very helpful.”

The hostel was jointly funded by Manchester council, the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s Homelessness Fund and the Edward Holt Trust, a charity that helps homelessness projects across the region.

Last week, concrete plans to tackle Greater Manchester’s homelessness problem were finally revealed.

Fire stations are to turn spare space into shelters, GPs are to treat people without a permanent address and Manchester town hall is to buy up cheap housing across the city and allow people without homes to live there.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

At the same time the region’s public sector leaders - led by mayor Andy Burnham - have issued an appeal to the Prime Minister, calling on her to halt the government’s roll-out of Universal Credit.

The plan was revealed after a meeting of all public sector bodies from across Greater Manchester to come up with practical ways to solve the ever-worsening crisis.

A homeless person is currently approaching their local council every 20 minutes to ask for help.