Homelessness Awareness Panel Event 2013‘The Voices of Homelessness’

Belfast Met, MillfieldMonday 25th November 2013

A presentation by:Declan Morris

Homeless Prevention Co-ordinatorSimon Community N.I.

‘The Voices of Homelessness’

‘We cannot learn from one another until we stop shouting at one another – until we speak quietly enough so that our words are heard as well as our voices’.

Simon Community Northern Ireland

Vision To end homelessness in Northern Ireland.

MissionSimon Community Northern Ireland, strengthening communities by leading the way in addressing homelessness.

Simon Community Northern Ireland

VisionTo end homelessness in Northern Ireland

MissionSimon Community Northern Ireland, strengthening communities by leading the way in addressing homelessness

Simon Community N.I. Services

Accommodation Based Support for Single Individuals

(332 single bed spaces across 21 sites throughout NI).

• Leaving Care/Young Persons Assessment units (Coleraine/Belfast).

• Probation ‘beds’ (L’Derry/Portadown)

• Additional Family Accommodation Facility (Belfast – 24 family flats).

Community Based Support Services across N.I.

Rent Deposit & Bond Scheme

Harm Reduction Service.

Homeless Prevention Programme.

What is Homelessness?

Think of the word…

HOME

Homelessness Prevention- providing people with the ways and means to address their housing and other needs to avoid homelessness

(Homelessness Prevention and Relief: England 2012 DCLG)

Current Objectives • Awareness raising sessions/workshops throughout Northern

Ireland (www.simoncommunityresources.org)

• Specific Youth Work & EOTAS (education other than at school) resources

• Increase use of Community Based Support (Homeless Prevention Floating Support Forum)

• Making Moves- Ballymena, North Belfast and Derry

• Homeless Prevention Volunteer Programme

• Development of a community resource

Making Moves

Homelessness Cards

Accessing our services

Simon Community N.I.Central Access Point (CAP)24/7 Free-phone service

0800 171 2222

‘A choir is made up of many voices, including yours and mine. If one by one all go silent then all that will be left are the soloists’.