Crisis

📢 We’re calling on Keir Starmer and the UK Government to take bold action to end homelessness. Right now, rising living costs and a lack of affordable homes are pushing more people into homelessness than ever before. But we can change this. Add your name to our open letter and demand a future free from homelessness. https://bit.ly/41LxSWa

Keir Starmer says he wants to end homelessness once and for all—and we’re going to hold him to it. If we all speak up now, we can make sure the government delivers a bold plan to end homelessness once and for all. This means: 🏠 Making more homes genuinely affordable ❤️ Ensuring people experiencing homelessness get proper support 🛑 Preventing homelessness before it happens Sign our letter to Keir Starmer to tell him that a future free from homelessness starts now. https://bit.ly/41LxSWa

This week's Supporter Star is Jonny Williams, who recorded a song that has now raised £1,315 for Crisis!⭐ The song, called "Christmas on the Street", tells a deeply personal story, inspired by a life-changing encounter Jonny had in 1981. He tells us more. "When I was a young man working at St George's Hospital in London, I was asked to sit with a man who was alone in a hospital room after living on the streets for over a decade. This man, a former merchant seaman, had no family, no support and no place to call home. As we talked through the night, I heard stories of a life eroded by years of homelessness. The man, with his long grey hair and beard, spoke of walking across the city and finding solace in the night sky. Tragically, he passed away just before dawn, leaving a lasting imprint on my heart. "Years later, I worked directly with homeless people, gaining a deeper understanding of the brutal reality of life on the streets - where survival often comes before dignity, and identities are too often stripped away. This experience, combined with my own encounter, is the driving force behind "Christmas on the Street." I believe that no one should be homeless, particularly at Christmas. "Through this song, I am proud to have raised crucial funds for Crisis, so they can continue their essential work of helping people off the streets and supporting people to rebuild their lives." You can stream Jonny’s song "Christmas on the Street" for free through all major streaming platforms. Listen now on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3QCexSi

"Having a home is like being on top of the world"🌍 Just as Henry's marriage broke down, his parents became very unwell. He had to go to Nigeria to look after them, and sadly, one of them died. But when he returned home to the UK, he had nowhere to live. “When I came back, I was homeless. It was horrible. I stayed with someone my friend knew, but it was too much for him. “One day, he said I needed to leave immediately. My heart was palpitating. I went to the council, and they said it was congested. They said people with children are priority, and they are right. There were no options for me, and I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t cope anymore. "A friend told me about Crisis. The lady that I first met really assisted me. “Crisis got me a B&B for a week and was talking to the council to try and get them to help. After the B&B, I was moving from one place to the next and sleeping wherever I could. “It is not good for someone to experience homelessness. It’s very traumatic. Whether you’re on the streets or you are staying with someone temporarily, you don’t have your freedom at all." Henry was housed three months after he contacted Crisis and has a room in shared accommodation. “For me, having a home is like being on top of the world. When you have a room to yourself, and you can sleep and wake up when you want, it’s everything. “My lead worker is a professional with great humanity. Even if I had lots of questions, she would listen to me and assist me to her best means. “Crisis is quick to assist you. They listen to you. They will go to any length to help you solve your problem. "I go to IT classes at the Skylight twice a week. I’m also in the Christmas choir, I love singing. “My hope for the future is to contribute positively to society. I like working and I like doing charity work and volunteering. I can never forget Crisis; they are an organisation that will live with me until I die."

📣 Calling all Crisis Volunteers! WE NEED YOU!!! We know that none of our work would be possible without the compassion, time and energy of an army of volunteers. And now is no exception. Crisis has a new 10-year mission and strategy to end homelessness. And we're checking everything we do to make sure we're ready for it, including volunteering. We're reaching out to as many Crisis volunteers as possible to get their ideas and opinions on how best to involve volunteers in our work and plans. The Volunteering team are running online Q&A sessions where you can learn more about the project and how you can get involved. Whether you've been involved at Christmas, in the Skylights or at the shops, your views are important. We know from experience that our volunteers are brimming with enthusiasm as well as great ideas so we can't wait to hear from you! Get more information and sign up for the Q&As here: https://lnkd.in/eaJeZe3X

Yesterday our Venture Studio team saw London in a different light - from the top of the Gherkin! More important, they were at the Plentific Connect conference to learn more about how AI is helping the housing industry to work more efficiently. Anything that means safe, sustainable, affordable homes can be produced faster for people facing homelessness is going to interest us. Crisis is already working with companies like Urban Intelligence which provides software to help councils manage planning applications. But AI has so many other applications in this sector. Read their report....

Without the ability to manage a budget, deal with landlords, cope with housemates and knowing their rights, people risk being forced back into homelessness. So a key part of the support we provide our members is the practical skills needed to manage a tenancy. Plenty of Crisis members have done our "Renting Ready" course but we know it could help many others facing homelessness. So we also provide this training for the clients of other homelessness organisations and run "Train the Trainer" courses to make it as widely available as possible. There's more information about the courses here: https://lnkd.in/e-4yk8Se and if you have any questions or would like to sign up your organisation, you can email the team at housing.trainer@crisis.org.uk.

'Prevention is better than cure' applies to homelessness too.🍎 Scotland is in the process of creating new laws specifically focused on preventing homelessness, such as allowing people to access support before they reach crisis point. If the Housing Bill is passed, people will get the help they need quickly and avoid facing homelessness altogether. How great is that?! Like if you agree.

Our members are sew creative! Homelessness can have a devastating impact on people's confidence and mental wellbeing. We all need the foundation of a safe stable home to live our lives and thrive. That's why we have a whole range of ways to help Crisis members rebuild their confidence and wellbeing. At our Skylight in Croydon, that includes sewing classes lead by our tutor Zoe. Every Tuesday in the art room, members tackle a new project that gives them practical skills as well as allowing them to be creative. Recently that's covered embroidery and mending stitches as well as learning how to use a sewing machine. As a result they've produced cushion covers, keyrings and these fantastic baskets made from recycled material.

Crisis ambassador Nyome Nicholas-Williams and panellists Sophia Tassew and Stephanie Yeboah sat down at Shop from Crisis Peckham and shared some of the challenges they face as plus-size shoppers – including being shamed online for buying fast fashion. (Nyome also wrote about this experience last year in her Glamour article: ‘Why does sustainable fashion still have a problem with plus-size bodies?’) In the full conversation, Sophia quite rightly asks ‘Can I not just have the same experience as everyone else?’ As we work to make our shops more inclusive, we’d love to hear from the plus-size community about other challenges you face. Catch the full discussion on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/e7w8_-rx