Stori’s Post

Q Shelter acknowledges today's release of the Australian Homelessness Monitor 2024 report, which details the depeening housing affordability and supply crisis across the country, and the impact being felt by specialist homelessness services (SHS) as more people seek assistance. The report, produced by UNSW City Futures Research Centre and the School of Social Science at The University of Queensland in partnership with Homelessness Australia, further highlights the need for increased investment in SHS, social and affordable housing, and in long-term preventation against factors that lead to homelessness. Q Shelter Acting CEO Jackson Hills said today: “We need to improve our monitoring and support for homelessness services during this housing crisis, particularly concerning the possible effects of hosting major events, such as the 2032 Games, on vulnerable individuals. "The imminent National Housing and Homelessness Plan is essential for creating a unified strategy to reduce and prevent homelessness.” Read the report in full on the Homelessness Australia website: https://bit.ly/3B6LLoU #HomeMatters #Homelessness #Housing Hal Pawson Erin Dolan Kate Colvin Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation

Preventing #homelessness before it happens is the focus of new research led by Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd and Heriot-Watt University. Homeless Link, the national membership charity for frontline homelessness services, commissioned the research to identify gaps and barriers in homelessness prevention across England. Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, Director of Heriot-Watt University’s Institute for Social Policy, Housing and Equalities Research (I-SPHERE), said: “Our study shows an inadequate approach towards homelessness prevention across England. A lack of early intervention has perpetuated a cycle of crisis, with devastating effects on individuals, families and communities.   “There is an urgent need to prioritise upstream prevention, ensuring that vulnerable groups are supported before they become homeless. By mapping out the current state of prevention and identifying promising practices, our research offers a starting point for systemic change.   “It underscores the potential of a coordinated, proactive strategy that could transform our approach to homelessness, shifting the focus from reactive crisis management to effective prevention.”   The Prevention into Action research was funded through a National Lottery Community Fund grant.   More here: https://lnkd.in/eDJi5A-R #HeriotWattUni #homelessnessprevention #housingcrisis #housingaction

Today we’re marking World Homeless Day. As a social housing provider, we’re committed to tackling homelessness in our communities.   We know the best way to do this is to prevent people from losing their homes in the first place, so we provide support and advice to help people maintain their tenancies and stay in their homes long-term. As a Homes for Cathy member, we’ve signed up to nine commitments to reduce homelessness and we work with partners including local councils and charities to make a bigger impact. Last year, 28.5% of our lettings went to homeless households. We’re also boosting our support for young people experiencing homelessness, with the opening of our new Sunrise Foyer. The supported housing scheme will provide accommodation for 16-24 year olds and has the space to support 30 young people. Together with our two existing Foyers, the scheme has the potential to change the lives of hundreds of young people in #Medway. But there’s a need for more affordable, social and supported housing and we’re backing calls for the new government to commit to a long-term plan for housing. #WorldHomelessDay #mhshomes #SocialHousing

'We Can End Homelessness' - a documentary aired this week, follows Prince William as he embarks on the ambitious Homewards project to eradicate homelessness in six key locations across the UK. The newspaper i describes Homewards as an 'abject failure,' suggesting that the initiative fails to address the systemic issues driving homelessness. The article argues that many people are repeatedly let down by structural inadequacies until homelessness becomes unavoidable > https://lnkd.in/e8zvEmAH However, with established organisations like Shelter, Crisis, Big Issue, Centrepoint and The Passage collaborating and sharing expertise throughout this process, it’s difficult to imagine that meaningful progress toward 'homeless-free' cities can't be achieved. Homewards offers grants to the six selected areas to support their Action Plans: 🪴 Up to £500,000 of seed funding will be available to each location across the lifecycle of the five-year programme. 🪴 Grants can be used to help locations to deliver additional capacity, resources and projects needed to unlock scalable and transformative solutions to end homelessness. At our charity, we witness the power of grant-giving firsthand, and we know how impactful a well-placed cash boost can be. We look forward to seeing how the projects take shape over the coming years. #Homewards #homelessness #HomelessCharity #PrinceWilliam

At Christmas, a reflection on something really important to me, at a vital time. I chair the Board of Trustees of an effective charity that deals day to day with family homelessness, helping people at the intersection of many life challenges. As Ireland is sorting out a government for the next 5 years, my Christmas challenge is this: homelessness is an emergency, but do we really see the urgency in our responses as a society?    This is a summary of what I recently wrote GSC report for 2023 (numbers now slightly updated): “There were 4,500 children in homeless families in Ireland. Along with over 10,000 adults. As a society are we concerned enough about the traumatic impact of homelessness on the people involved, particularly the children? It appears to me that, to a large extent, as a society we are not. We certainly aren’t doing enough. I want to acknowledge and appreciate the very many women and children whose paths we cross on a daily basis in Good Shepherd Cork. Their courage and determination to overcome barriers to make a better life for themselves and their families is a constant inspiration to us. But as a society, unfortunately, we are not matching their determination and courage.”   You can’t but notice a sizeable and growing cohort (of all ages) now already in homelessness. And the thinning out of hope in people under 30 about ever having a place to call home.   Good Shepherd Cork’s Strategic Plan, ‘Building Hope’ includes initiatives that we hope will do what we can to address some of these challenges. We continue to deepen our relationship with Cuanlee CLG who provide Cork’s domestic violence refuge facilities. Together we are progressing plans for a new and modern facility to provide this service in Cork. In December 2023, GSC received Department of Housing approval for €11.3m for a new Domestic Violence refuge for Cork which is an important step forward. But all of this is pushing against a demand that continues to increase.   There are lots of ideas, but first we need to make it a priority and call it an emergency. Please, please prioritise tackling the human cost of homelessness, because in those 4,500 children who are homeless this Christmas, I can see both the potential for some of Ireland’s future leaders, but also the risk of lives continuing to be blighted by trauma, almost from the start. Full details of Good Shepherd Cork's 2023 report are downloadable here…https://lnkd.in/eX3WQtfy

In 2024, there was an over 18% increase in homelessness in the United States. We believe that no-one should be living on the streets and that adding shelter and housing options that are immediately available, humane, and cost-effective is the first step in reducing homelessness. Your donation helps us prevent and alleviate the suffering of homelessness for unsheltered San Diegans: https://lnkd.in/gqS5nFK8 https://lnkd.in/g2ydu-Bv  

The latest data from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) reveals that outreach teams recorded 4,612 people sleeping rough across London between October and December 2024. This is a 5% rise on the same period last year. This increase highlights the ongoing and growing challenges in tackling homelessness, reinforcing the urgent need for sustained action and long-term solutions. This week, Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a £10 million investment to expand 'Ending Homelessness Hubs'—safe spaces offering immediate support, mental health services, and rapid rehousing. This initiative aims to ensure no one spends their first night on the streets. Tackling homelessness requires ALL of us—local authorities, charities, businesses, and the wider community working together. Only through sustained action and investment can we ensure that no one has to spend their first night on the street. https://lnkd.in/esdDGxMq #chaindata #roughsleeping #london #endinghomelessness #SadiqKhan

One year ago, we launched our partnership with the national homelessness charity Crisis. Since then, colleagues in both our organisations have been working hard to raise funds, increase awareness and galvanise action. Thank you to everyone at Lloyds Banking Group who’s already raised a target-smashing £1.6 million – supporting Crisis to partner Scotland’s award-winning Homes for Good, to develop a new social enterprise lettings agency in other parts of the UK. Launching in East London, Good Place Lettings will help make renting easier, fairer and more affordable for those most in need. We’re also proud to support Crisis’ Changing Lives Programme – providing grants for education, employment and entrepreneurship. Too many people are at risk of homelessness, or being held back by the uncertainty and often inadequacy of temporary accommodation – with over 1.2 million households on waiting lists for social housing. That’s why Matt Downie MBE and I have called for; “one million more homes at social rent, within the next decade”. Lloyds may be the UK’s biggest mortgage provider, but we don’t believe that only homeowners should aspire to have somewhere secure and decent to live. There is more to be done across the housing, financial and public sectors to increase provision of good quality, genuinely affordable homes. Together with Crisis, we want to help end homelessness with homes. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eB6ZHWNR

I spoke with @95bFM last week about our campaign calling on Government to implement Duty to Assist legislation that would support us to end and prevent homelessness. Basically, if you and your family are experiencing homelessness, there is no clear responsibility on the state to provide you with support. This means, you can turn up to WINZ, ask for help, and there is a real possibility that you and your whānau could be turned away to sleep on the street. Duty to Assist legislation would ensure that there was a clear responsibility placed upon Government agencies to provide you with the support you need, not just to access shelter, but to gain access to permanent accommodation. Homelessness will not be ended by funding homelessness services. The mahi we do is important, but without structural change, will not end homelessness. Homelessness is not an individual issue, it's systemic, and it's structural. If we want to end homelessness we must address the structural realities that allow it to continue. Duty to Assist legislation is one piece of the puzzle that will support us to move past managing homelessness, to ending it once and for all. To support the campaign sign and share here: https://lnkd.in/gb4YDg2j #KickBackMakeChange #EndYouthHomelessness #EndHomelessness #nzpol

Youth homelessness doesn’t happen by chance. Most young people facing homelessness lack the emotional, practical, and financial support needed to transition into adulthood. Our report commissioned by Homeless Link revealed: 👉 Family breakdown is the No.1 cause – Many young people become homeless due to strained family relationships. 👉 Gatekeeping prevents access to support – Too often, young people are turned away by local authorities for not meeting ‘priority need’ criteria. 👉 Support services don’t always feel safe – Some young people report feeling less secure in temporary housing than on the streets. At LandAid, we’re tackling this head-on. We fund specialist youth homelessness charities to provide tailored support and work with partners to push for a national strategy to end youth homelessness. Every young person deserves a safe place to call home. If you’re in the property sector, you have the power to help us create real change. Read our full report: https://lnkd.in/e-swkUPD #EndYouthHomelessness #PropertyIndustry