Prince William’s five-year programme to demonstrate that together it is possible to end homelessness is today marking a year of progress with a special event in Lambeth, one of the six flagship locations.
Over the past year, Homewards has been working with the six locations (Aberdeen; Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole; Lambeth; Newport; Northern Ireland and Sheffield) to form coalitions which will drive the project forward locally and build action plans to put Homewards’ six locations on a trajectory to end homelessness.
Homewards has already generated unprecedented support for the flagship locations in their work to tackle homelessness and laid the foundations for success by:
- Forming strong local coalitions. Homewards has convened 539 individuals and organisations across the six locations, bringing in new partners – some of whom are engaging with homelessness for the first time.
- Securing unprecedented partnerships. Eleven uniquely placed industry-leading companies are providing expertise and in-kind support to the Homewards locations. This includes Homebase’s commitment to providing ‘Home Starter Packs’ to the innovative housing projects and securing 500 jobs for people experiencing homelessness as part of Pret A Manger’s extended Rising Stars Programme.
- Generating systems change by shifting focus to prevention. Establishing a pipeline of nearly 100 homes for those who already experience or are on the brink of experiencing homelessness through innovative housing projects; delivering a programme of webinars to an audience of over 800 to share best practice and learnings and supporting the six locations to embed lived experience across every part of their approach.
- Working to change the narrative. Homewards is focused on improving understanding about the different forms of homelessness, shifting perceptions and boosting optimism that homelessness can be ended. To that end, Homewards will soon launch an exhibition with the Saatchi Gallery and will feature in an exclusive two-part ITV documentary series which explores homelessness in the UK today and follows the first year of the Homewards programme.
Over the next year, the six Homewards locations will publish and begin delivering their action plans to show that it is possible to end homelessness. Across the locations, substantial work has taken place to lay the foundations and set each area up for success. Each location has identified emerging priorities vital to ending homelessness:
- Aberdeen will focus on using data to help understand and tackle the challenges of homelessness caused by relationship breakdown and youth homelessness.
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole will work on expanding employability and driving greater access to housing and with young people as an initial key group.
- Lambeth is focused on the role of the private rented sector, improving their use of data to underpin its work, early intervention and employability.
- Newport will look at employment and skills pathways and better use of data, alongside working with a small number of specific high-risk groups.
- Northern Ireland plans to address young people leaving care and women experiencing homelessness, including exploring the role the private sector can play in supporting solutions for both groups.
- Sheffield intends to explore how to prevent young people and families from experiencing homelessness and drive greater access to housing with grassroots community groups at the heart of that work.
“Over the last year we have been working in partnership with six locations across the UK, bringing people and organisations together to create the foundations on which to build long-term change. Inspired by our belief that it is possible to end homelessness, we are already demonstrating what can be achieved if we all work together. We are immensely grateful to the committed people, organisations and businesses who are working with us to prove homelessness can be prevented and solutions found.”
–Amanda Berry OBE, CEO, The Royal Foundation.
As the programme moves into its second year, Homewards will focus on turning collaboration into action. The Royal Foundation will work with organisations and individuals across the Homewards coalitions and Partnerships to deliver on each location’s locally specific action plan and priorities. Each location is also developing an innovative housing project which will test new ways to unlock homes at scale.
Today’s event will bring together representatives from the six flagship locations as well as individuals from across the wider homelessness and private sectors. Prince William will hear about the work of each of the six locations before delivering a short speech in which he will thank partners of the programme. The event will also be attended by Homewards advocate Sabrina Cohen-Hatton.
Homewards has gained support from businesses across a range of different industries over the past year, leveraging significant in-kind support for the homelessness sector with companies such as The Pret Foundation, Homebase, Arup and Ikea joining the programme as business activators.
Today, leading firms Knight Frank and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (‘Freshfields’) join the Homewards Partnership. Knight Frank will be helping the locations to identify opportunities to deliver access to more housing and engage local businesses. Freshfields will provide a broad range of expertise to help operationalise solutions across the Homewards locations.
