18 Oct 2021
Sleeping out for Homeful
I remember the day I consciously chose to pursue a career in housing.
I was fortunate to be awarded a scholarship to study in America for a year after I completed my A levels. As part of that experience, for a month in the spring of 1991, I joined New York City Relief, an organisation which provided food, clothing, first aid, employment and housing advice to people experiencing homelessness across the city.
It was here, working with the people experiencing homelessness on the streets of New York that I understood the importance of home. I remember thinking about how much I’d taken my own for granted all of these years. The bed I slept in every night. The security the walls around me provided. I was particularly struck by stories from some of the younger people I worked with. Many of them just wanted to carry on with their education, start a career, or to travel the world, but the insecurity of not having a place to call home meant they couldn’t focus on their futures. People my age had their hopes on hold because of the lack of a home.
Exploring housing-led approaches to resolve and prevent homelessness
Fast-forward 20 years later, and homelessness continuous to be a scourge on a modern, wealthy country like the UK. The most visible pinnacle is rough sleeping – but there are many more people who are experiencing ‘hidden homelessness’, living in unsafe, insecure, unaffordable or short-term accommodation. The social housing sector already does much to provide homes and support for people, but we can and should do more, to take both a housing-led response to resolve homelessness, and a support-led approach to prevent it. This is the mission at the heart of Homeful, the campaign I’m running throughout my time as president of the Chartered Institute of Housing.
Supporting End Youth Homelessness
Across the next 18 months, it’s my goal to raise funds for End Youth Homelessness, a group of youth homelessness charities across the UK. There will be lots of activity going on, including a big walk I’ll be undertaking along the South West Coast Path next May, but an upcoming event will be the Sleep Out to End Youth Homelessness, 12 November 2021.
End Youth Homelessness are asking anyone who wants to get involved to give up your bed for one night and sleep out in recognition, not replication of homelessness. We know that nothing can compare with the true experience of homelessness, but this is an opportunity for many of us across the sector to recognise the discomfort, uncertainty and inhumane nature of homelessness.
If you would like to get involved, all you need to do is, on the evening of 12 November 2021, swap your bed for somewhere new. That could be a sofa, under your dining room table, your garden, your balcony, in your office car park (with permission) – the choice is yours.
It may not be the most comfortable night, and you may not get a good night’s sleep, but we hope that every single person taking part can raise money to make a difference to the lives of homeless young people throughout the UK.
To get involved via Homeful, head to the End Youth Homelessness Sleep Out page, and type ‘Homeful’ in the Find a Fundraiser box, or if you want to set up your own fundraising page for the Sleepout, when you set it up, please tick the box ‘Homeful/CIH’ when asked how you heard about it, and this will contribute towards the Homeful campaign total.
Jessica’s story
End Youth Homelessness help change the lives of young people all across the UK and Jessica’s story is one I would love you to read.
Tragically, after suffering long-term abuse at home by her family members, Jess found herself homeless at a young age. Although she was able to move in with her partner's family for a period of time and gain full-time employment, after the relationship broke down Jess once again found herself with nowhere to go. For several months Jess anxiously 'sofa-surfed' at friends, and when there was no alternative, she was forced to sleep rough in shop doorways.
