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Homelessness

THANKS TO A MASSIVE injection of government cash, the number of rough sleepers in Britain has plummeted over the past decade. But that doesn't mean that homelessness charities' work is done. Now focused on the 'hidden homeless' and people in poor-quality accommodation, their work has become ever more complex. Let us explain...


> Who homeless people are
> The big players
> Children and young people
> Longer-term solutions
> Local charities
> Worldwide
> Something a bit different...


Who homeless people are, and why you should care
Shelter (see profile), a homelessness giant, says there is a ‘housing crisis’ in the UK. Most homeless people, it says, aren't on the streets. People staying in hostels or with friends, or who are at risk of violence or health problems because of their home, can be legally classed as 'homeless' too. So are people who have to go without life's essentials to pay for accommodation.

So if you want to support a homelessness charity, your first choice will probably be to decide whether to support this wide range of work, or concentrate on helping street-sleepers.

Also remember that some groups are particularly vulnerable. Young people leaving home or foster care often struggle to find somewhere to live, and those with relationship problems can become homeless as a result. 77,000 young people run away from home every year, and 9,000 young offenders are placed in unsuitable accommodation, such as bed and breakfast.

Smaller charities tend to focus on providing food and shelter; larger charities tend to have a wider focus, supporting long-term solutions which try to bring homeless people back into mainstream society. A bed and something to eat will provide short-term relief, but a free course or information on how to find accommodation and get a job may ultimately prove more useful. Supporting a charity which lobbies government also has the potential to improve the situation for people all over the UK.

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The big players
For a wide-ranging approach to homelessness and to spread your money as widely as possible, give to one of the giants, Shelter (see profile) or Crisis (see profile).

Shelter is biggest, but it doesn’t actually run any hostels. Instead, it uses its political clout to influence the government, raises public awareness and publishes lots of research on the best ways to address homelessness and bad housing. It also provides an enormous amount of information to people with housing problems – from assistance with applications for social housing to what to do if you're evicted. Its impressive online advice-services directory refers people to the nearest organisation which can help with almost any housing difficulty. Fifty housing-aid centres, a telephone helpline and an email-based advisory service provide personalized support. Shelter also trains housing professionals to deal with homeless people, and runs support projects to help people make the transition from homelessness to settled accommodation.

The comparatively small Crisis (see profile) nonetheless offers a wide range of services, with a focus on education and training. This help can play a big part in getting ex-homeless people into work, and therefore back into mainstream society. Crisis also helps, and campaigns on behalf of, the ‘hidden’ homeless – those in inappropriate housing – and pushes the message that ‘a roof is not a home’.

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Children and young people
Lots of charities focus on helping homeless children and young people. The Children’s Society (see profile) is a big player which works with at-risk kids in general, many of whom sleep rough. The old but fast-growing Shaftesbury Young People (see profile) helps vulnerable children, mainly in south-east England, providing housing, education and support.

St Christopher’s (see profile) is the only children’s charity which is also a housing association. It says it provides a unique combination of accommodation, care, training and support to kids and young people, and earns most of its income from government contracts. St Basil’s (see profile) is a local but substantial outfit which helps young people in Birmingham, Redditch and Solihull who are either homeless or at risk. It offers hostel accommodation, education and training.

Centrepoint (see profile) is large, London-based and mostly government-funded, and aims to promote social inclusion and eradicate youth homelessness.  The YMCA (see profile) counts reducing homelessness among its many activities and claims to be the largest voluntary-sector provider of safe, supported accommodation in England for single men and women between the ages of 16 and 35.

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Longer-term solutions
Some charities specialize in helping homeless people lead a more stable life over a relatively long period.

The Foyer Federation (see profile) is a UK network of over 130 local 'foyers' – centres which provide accommodation, training, job search and personal support for 10,000 young people at risk of homelessness. The centres aim to provide a stable community to help their users lead independent lives, and the 16-25-year-olds usually stay for 9-12 months. Foyer’s giveusachance campaign promotes the idea of letting disadvantaged young people catch up with everyday life, and aims to change the way we see young people.

Emmaus UK (see profile) also provides homeless people with a community, and is the UK branch of a worldwide organization. The homeless people who become its residents sign off unemployment benefits and work full-time collecting, refurbishing and selling donated furniture and other goods. The communities try to become financially self-supporting, and the residents receive accommodation, food, clothing and a weekly allowance.

The Big Issue Foundation (see profile) also promotes self-help.  Big Issue vendors make money from selling the magazine, which provides them with a legitimate way of making a living. The Foundation believes that this helps them gain self-confidence and move off the streets into a home and a job.

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Local charities
In the capital, St Mungo’s (see profile) and Thames Reach (see profile) are two big players, but as they get most of their funding from government, they’re not very well-known. They provide a range of services including accommodation, support, training and advice.  For more on the two giants read this short article. Broadway Homelessness and Support (see profile) is similar, but slightly smaller.

There are also plenty of local charities helping with homelessness in our listings, such as the Oxford Night Shelter (see profile), Worthing Churches Homeless Projects (see profile) and Community Links (see profile), which focuses on assisting people to pull themselves out of poverty. See also Centrepoint (London – see profile) and St Basil’s (Birmingham – see profile), mentioned above under ‘Children and Young People’.

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Worldwide
If you want to help homeless people around the world, your best bet is to give to a large international-aid outfit which aims to reduce poverty – housing help is often best given in conjunction with other support. See our international aid overview for examples.

For organisations that focus on social welfare both in the UK and abroad, have a look at the Salvation Army (see profile) or the St Vincent de Paul Society (see profile).

The (very Christian) Salvation Army (see profile) helps two million people with a range of services, as well as lobbying the government and providing disaster relief in the UK and abroad. 

The non-preaching Catholic St Vincent de Paul Society (see profile) offers help based around local groups of volunteers in the UK, making around a million visits to people in need each year. It also runs drop-in centres and provides social support in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Toybox (see profile) is a small non-preaching Christian outfit which gives grants to local charities helping street kids in Bolivia and Guatemala.

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Something a bit different
If you fancy giving to a slightly unusual charity, try CRASH (see profile), which brings property professionals together to help homelessness charities to improve their premises.

Or for a charity targeting a specific group of homeless people, the St Giles Trust specialises in working with ex-offenders, providing housing and resettlement advice and training some of its beneficiaries to give advice and guidance to prisoners. Its work was recognised at the Charity Awards this year.