Homelessness – overview of current and foundation issues

Revd. Canon Paul DaltryChair IWNS

What are our aims today?

• Increase confidence• Information can allay fears• A part of something much bigger

than ourselves• Building the Kingdom of God• Awareness that it is about character

as much as information

What is our route plan?

1. Introduction on Homelessness

2. Guidelines for Volunteers3. Health and Addiction4. Personal Safety5. Questions

Housing Justice

• National organisation: Christian voice on housing and homelessness.

• Policy and campaigning role• Practical support to churches + others

involved in responding to homelessness • Projects include: Faith in Affordable

Housing, Mentoring and Befriending• Homelessness Sunday (part of) Poverty and

Homelessness Action Week

Homelessness definitions

• Most visible is Rough Sleeping Street count snapshots (2400 nationally in Autumn 2013) 1800 in 2010

• Hidden Homeless sofa surfers, squatters etc. ½ million (Crisis)

• Homeless Families 81,000 Shelter 2012/13

Headline causes / effects

• Relationship, family breakdown• Lack of resilience, coping skills• Trauma, poor mental health• Substances• Institutions e.g. care, prison, armed

forces • Migration – from EU, rest of the

world• Shortage of affordable housing!

Street lifestyle?

• Complex needs• Relationships• Expression of non-conformity• Rejection of society, materialistic

values• People find solidarity in shared

adversity• But.. no one starts off in life with the

ambition to be homeless!

Church and homelessness

• Mission to serve all, especially people who are poor, suffering exclusion, injustice, discrimination

• Bringing holistic care • Church linked Projects e.g. drop in

centres, shelters, soup runs, advice, signposting

• Advocacy and action• Healing Community not nimbyism

Hospitality and Hope

We treat those who stay as our

GUESTS

The End