The local homelessness crisis and how we are helping: Amanda explains…
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In the run up to World Homeless Day in October, we’ll be highlighting just some of the ways we work alongside people in Greater Manchester and Lancashire as they transform their lives.
We’ll also be shouting loudly about ways you – and decision makers in our area and locally too – can help.
A large part of our work is supporting people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness, whichever of our charity’s services they come to for support.
Here, Amanda, who leads our homelessness services across our charity, explains more about why this is important…
Can you please tell us a little about your role and what it involves?
As head of homelessness at Caritas, I’m responsible for all our homelessness services including the day centres and accommodation projects, as well as advocating for changes which will help to end homelessness, and developing new services to try to ensure that everyone has a safe and affordable home.
Why is homelessness such an important issue?
Having a safe, secure home is fundamental to being able to have a good quality of life.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the reality for more and more families and single people who are stuck in temporary accommodation, sofa surfing with friends or sleeping on the streets.
Lack of housing also impacts people’s ability to work, to stay healthy and safe and to enable their families to flourish.
Is it a big issue in our area?
In Greater Manchester and Lancashire, the area where our charity operates, more than 6,000 households are currently homeless, including almost 9,000 children. At the last official street count 386 people were found sleeping rough, and unfortunately, in most areas the numbers are going up.
Are there different types of homelessness?
When people think about homelessness, they often just think about those sleeping rough, but these people are just the tip of the iceberg.
Many more people are sofa surfing – having to stay with friends and family because they can’t find or can’t afford their own home – or are stuck in temporary accommodation waiting on a list for a permanent home.
How do people find themselves homeless?
Everyone’s journey into homelessness is different but there are common themes.
People living in the private rented sector can be issued with a Section 21 notice from their landlord, even if they’ve been a good tenant and paid their rent regularly.
Other people experience some type of trauma, for example, losing their job, domestic violence or the death of a family member, and this can lead to financial, mental health, drug/alcohol problems or a relationship breakdown, producing a downward spiral that ends in homelessness.
What people who are homeless often say to us is that they never thought it could happen to them and that people need to understand that it can happen to anyone.
What can be done to stop people becoming homeless or to help people who are already?
We need to be building more social and affordable housing. Without a big increase we are never going to reduce waiting lists and reduce the number of people stuck in temporary accommodation.
Changes in Government policy would also go a long way to preventing and reducing homelessness. This includes tough regulation of the private sector and changes to benefit caps such as the Local Housing Allowance rates which make most private sector housing unaffordable.
However, there is also always going to be a need for a safety net for people who do become homeless and especially for people with complex needs, and that is where our services come in.
There is a need for good quality temporary supported accommodation and advice/day centres that can help people in crisis. And we need financial support to enable us to provide these lifelines for people.
Members of the public might not know what to do or how to help if they see someone who is experiencing homeless. What would you advise?
Firstly, be kind. Becoming homeless is traumatic and if that happens to friends, family or people you meet then don’t judge them, but listen to them and try to signpost them to services which can help.
Getting out of homelessness isn’t easy and often people will need specialist support and advocacy, so try to direct people to places where they can get help. This may be their local council or advice agency or to a service run by a local charity like ours.
You can also make a donation to Caritas. We can only continue to help more than 1,500 people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Greater Manchester each year if we receive the financial donations and gifts in kind that enable us to run our services.
What do your services do that might surprise people?
We welcome dogs into our day centres and our accommodation projects.
When you’re homeless your pet can feel like your only friend when you have lost everything else, so we make sure people don’t have to be separated from their best friends.
We even support them to get free veterinary care.
Are there any myths around homelessness that frustrate you or things you wish people knew or understood?
Not everyone you see begging on the streets is homeless and most people who become homeless never end up begging, but instead they struggle on trying to find a place to call home.
You will pass these people in the streets every day and not even realise because they just look like you and me.
What would you say to anyone thinking of supporting our work by making a donation or taking action to help in their local community in other ways?
Please do consider supporting our work. We depend on financial donations and gifts in kind to enable us to ensure that everyone who walks through our doors is helped on their journey to finding a safe home. Or you could consider volunteering too – all the information you need can be accessed by clicking here.
Find out more about how you, or someone you know, can get help from our services.
Click here to make a donation now to support our work with people experiencing homelessness locally.