Crisis

Right now, over 4,000 people are forced to sleep on the street in London alone. Yesterday the Government announced its plans to build more social homes but we urgently Westminster to establish a cross-government unit to tackle homelessness. This can co-ordinate efforts by national departments and local councils, and finally end homelessness for good. https://lnkd.in/gYauNPnH

Today, we’re launching our 10-year strategy on how we will play our part in ending homelessness.     Over 130,000 households are trapped in temporary accommodation – this is a scandal. This is why we’re determined to be there for everyone experiencing homelessness in Great Britain.     Homelessness is destroying lives in our communities. But we can solve it. This strategy is about thinking bigger to get the breakthrough we need. By working together, we can create a stronger society for us all.  Our vision is that in ten years, the number of people experiencing homelessness will be going down. This doesn’t mean no one will ever lose their home again. But there will be better ways to prevent it – and fast and practical solutions when it happens.    We’ll make this happen by:   1) Securing policies that solve homelessness.   We can end homelessness – we just need the right policies and social change. We’ll campaign in England, Scotland, and Wales to get the change we need. We’ll also challenge discrimination and damaging beliefs about homelessness.  2) Delivering services that end homelessness for people and places.   We’ll build a network of Crisis Centres across the country. Every centre will deliver the best services to our members, and a plan for ending homelessness locally. We’ll also provide over 1,000 homes to our members. We’ll do this in partnership with people facing homelessness, volunteers and local organisations.  3) Building a community of people across Britain helping to end homelessness.   Together we can demand and create change. We’ll develop and support a national community that is determined to end homelessness for good. From landlords and employers to teachers and healthcare professionals; everyone is welcome to play their part.    Read the full strategy below ⬇️

Today Deputy PM Angela Rayner announced new proposals to tackle the chronic shortage of social and affordable housing in England. This news suggests that Westminster recognises this national scandal must urgently be brought to an end. Hundreds of thousands of households are facing homelessness. We look forward to examining the Govt's plans, incl. delivering 50% affordable housing on Green Belt land, & working with ministers to deliver the 90,000 social homes needed to end homelessness. https://lnkd.in/eCTK6tkK

While many people are in airconditioned homes or offices right now, not all of us are so protected. Any extreme weather, hot or cold, puts people on the street at risk. Here are some ways you can help. If you're contacting Street Link, get the person's permission to do so on their behalf. And remember that if the person appears to be suffering from heatstroke or any other medical emergency, just call 999.

After going through a bad relationship, Joan hit rock bottom and had no option but to sleep on an airport bench. With the help of Crisis, she turned her life around. This year, Joan visited the Houses of Parliament where she addressed MPs to share her story and inspire them to help end homelessness for good. She shares her experience. “If I was asked to describe my evening in Parliament, the first word that comes to mind is, ‘surreal’. I felt a sense of euphoria, an indescribable feeling of immense happiness and achievement. To think that I would have the honour to talk about my experience to inspire MPs to join Crisis, is simply, once again, surreal. “When one goes through trials and tribulations, the last thing on your mind would be that one day, you would have an opportunity to address distinguished members of society who can ultimately help to make a change to this spiralling issue of homelessness. It doesn’t matter if you are homeless or not, we are all affected. You walk down the road, go to a restaurant, travel to work, take the train, go to an event, and homelessness will stare you in the face, literally. “I realised that night that people respect a real-life story. They respect when they can physically see and touch someone who has overcome hardship, it allows them to believe in the cause, and it inspires them to mentally as well as physically spring into action. “I loved the evening, it was rewarding and just a moment in my life that I will never forget. Having never been to Parliament before, going as a guest was the ultimate experience. Do I think I made a change? Maybe. What I do know is this, until we put ourselves out there, nothing will ever change. Exposure does influence.”

The trustees who guide our work are special people. Not only are they passionate about ending homelessness but they're also experts in their field and use their experience to drive social change. Does that sound like you? We're looking for two new trustees to add their skills and perspectives to our board & guide our mission to #EndHomelessness. More information & details of how to apply: https://lnkd.in/eK7dPUV9

Last Saturday a whole Crisis gang of members, volunteers, staff, friends and family stepped out to lead the Newcastle Pride parade. We were very grateful for the honour and also for the opportunity to show the LGBTQ+ community that Crisis is a safe space and there to help everyone regardless of gender, religion, sexuality or ethnicity. Research from Stonewall shows that almost one in five LGBTQ+ people have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives. Rates are even higher amongst trans people, with 25% having experienced homelessness at some point. All of us have the right to a safe and decent home. That’s why it’s vital that our support systems work for and include everyone in society.

"I would like people to know that it will get better.” After Zahra's marriage broke down, she was placed into a hotel with her children as part of the local authority's homelessness procedure. The hotel was infested with bedbugs and cockroaches. With the help of Crisis, Zahra and her family were able to leave homelessness behind for good. Zahra shares her story. "I was told going into the hotel is what happens when you go through the homeless procedure. On the first day, we noticed a cockroach and they moved us. Then a couple of days later we noticed another one. I started to realise it's not just one room, it’s the whole hotel. "One of the rooms we went into had bedbugs. I had an allergic reaction and my whole body broke out in massive red blotches. "My daughter got bit on her face and that really upset me because she had to go to school. She had other bites on her and I just felt terrible. "They started to affect me how I never thought a bug would. I started to itch. My eyes started playing tricks on me. It made me feel dirty. And it really affected my daughter too. Its not nice to live in that environment. "We didn't get the support we needed from the council or the hotel manager. After six months at the hotel, I contacted Crisis. I felt a little bit lost and extremely frustrated at these constant reoccurring problems. "Sophie my lead worker and she was lovely. She sent quite a few emails to the temporary housing officer, and she basically worked like an advocate. And I felt I had a support network. “I’ve just moved into rented accommodation so my main focus right now is just getting myself a little bit organised. It's a very nice home. I've been unpacking, organising the children’s room. I’m also doing a lot of cleaning! “The support that Crisis offers is very good. I love the fact that it’s holistic so it’s not just saying, “We’re going to help you with your housing,” they also support you with education, wellbeing and your health."

Andrew is this week's supporter star after hosting a comedy gig to raise money in memory of his friend, Andy Smart⭐ This week, we say thank you to one of our wonderful fundraisers, Andrew Wilson. Andrew has raised £1,000 in memory of his friend Andy Smart, a comedian and long-term supporter of Crisis who sadly passed away last year. In June, Andrew celebrated Andy’s life by hosting a comedy tribute show at London’s Duchess Theatre, bringing together comedians and improv artists for an evening of laughter and remembrance. This is a fitting tribute to Andy who, during his almost twenty years as a Christmas volunteer, brought empathy, care and infectious humour to guests and volunteers alike. By organising the evening, Andrew honoured Andy’s values and continued his incredible support and commitment to Crisis over the years, building a lasting impact in his name. We asked Andrew about his experience of fundraising in memory of Andy, and he told us: “Andy is the reason I began volunteering for Crisis. He never persuaded me but spoke so passionately and enthusiastically about the work Crisis did at Christmas that I was compelled to volunteer myself. "Andy spent time on the streets as a young man and never forgot the small acts of kindness that others showed him during that period. It was his generosity of spirit that made him such a popular volunteer with guests. "I would like to thank his fellow Comedy Store Players and friends on the comedy circuit who gave their time and talent to celebrate his life and raise money for his favourite charity.” Please join us in saying a huge thank you to Andrew and everyone who took part in the show by leaving a message in the comments below.👇 Photo credit: Steve Best

Over half a million renting households have been homeless in recent years. The new govt. can now build on the announcements in the #KingsSpeech and see that these figures come down, quickly. It can start that by creating a Unit for Ending Homelessness. https://lnkd.in/eswm7s4Z