By Rob Payne, Director of Homeless Services
Two Step, our homelessness programme, works in partnership with many organisations to help people find and sustain housing. In the last 12 months, thanks to our generous supporters and funders, Two Step has housed 134 people.
Due to the housing crisis and changes to the asylum system, referrals from partners like NEWway (pictured above) are increasing; Two Step has received more than 1,000 referrals from people experiencing homelessness in the last 12 months, and a significant number have come from night shelters.
At the recent Housing Justice Annual Night Shelter Conference, I was able to connect with many partners like NEWway. We also heard from Felicity Buchan MP, the minister for housing and homelessness, who affirmed the unique and valuable role of night shelters in offering a lifeline to more than 4,000 people last winter. This work is made possible by the support of more than 5,000 volunteers.
Perhaps you would like to volunteer for a night shelter this winter? Please contact us if you would like help connecting with a local shelter.
The combination of compassion and community that a night shelter — like the one operated by NEWway – provides enables people to avoid the downward spiral of life on the streets. In addition, the specialist support from the shelter — working in partnership with the Two Step staff — also offers people the possibility of moving out of homelessness and towards a better future.
At the Housing Justice Annual Night Shelter Conference, it was encouraging to hear how much NEWway values the way that we can find suitable properties and support the people they work with — like Danny, who is now studying law with dreams of becoming a barrister after Two Step helped him find a new home in 2021.
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