Housing Justice connects volunteers with homeless people in need of support
credit Nick Fewings via Unsplash
A homelessness charity which connects rough sleepers with volunteers who can offer their support is expanding its operations into Barnet.
Housing Justice is launching its ‘Community Connectors’ programme across both North London and East London, expanding the reach of its existing project in the south-east of the capital to support more people forced into homelessness and rough sleeping in London.
The project grows the ‘Citadel’ model Housing Justice has established within several communities across England and Wales since 2020, and supports people who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness to “find and sustain housing, integrate into a community, and establish a home”.
Rough sleeping figures have increased by 58% since 2014 and more than 183,000 Londoners are now estimated to be homeless and living in temporary accommodation. This is the highest-ever level of recorded homelessness in the capital – equivalent to at least one in 50 Londoners.
Housing Justice co-ordinators recruit and train volunteers, who are matched with people referred to Community Connectors for support. The co-ordinators and volunteers then work closely with people who have been referred to establish what matters to them and provide personalised support.
This might include support with finding a suitable property, decorating and furnishing their home, managing bills and budgeting, joining a social club or community group, attending appointments, or just having a cup of coffee and a chat – all led by what matters to the individual.
Poppy Thomas, Community Connectors manager, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be launching Community Connectors to give north and east Londoners a practical way that they can help to end homelessness in their communities.
“Volunteers play a fundamental role in building connections to help people out of homelessness for good, and provide support in all sorts of different ways.”
Find out more about Community Connectors and sign up as a volunteer:
Visit housingjustice.org.uk/citadel
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else. £84 annual supporters get a print copy by post and a digital copy of each month’s before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly
More Information about donations