A charity in Northern Ireland has come up with a comprehensive strategy to expand its services over the next five years and tackle a crisis in homelessness.
Jim Dennison, chief executive of Simon Community, outlined the organisation’s new areas of focus during an event at Ulster Museum, setting out the challenges faced by the province, and the ways the charity will seek to tackle them.
The charity’s new strategy, Doing Things Differently, commits the organisation to delivering more preventative measures and early interventions for those at risk of homelessness, as well as offer practical housing solutions so that people can move swiftly on from temporary accommodation, breaking the cycle of homelessness as quickly as possible.
Dennison said: “Northern Ireland is in the midst of a housing and homelessness crisis. It demands urgent attention.
“With a shocking one in 34 people in Northern Ireland legally classified as homeless – including 4,500 children – and over 86,000 individuals on the social housing waiting list, the scale of the problem is genuinely staggering. And unless we do things differently, it will only get worse.
“But this is not just about numbers; it’s about lives. Behind these numbers are real people with hopes and dreams. The time to act is now.”
At the launch of the strategy, Dennison emphasised the need for increased investment in affordable housing, as well as enhanced support services to help individuals maintain their tenancies and avoid homelessness.
The charity has outlined five core strategic priorities to help end homelessness:
- Prevention of homelessness: Stopping people becoming homeless in the first place will be a significant focus, it says. The charity will increase support for people at risk of homelessness through “quality community engagement” and practical support including a homeless support line, tenancy sustainment scheme, and emergency financial interventions
- Providing the right support at the right time: Simon Community has provided temporary accommodation for those experiencing homelessness for many years. These services provide a vital lifeline for people experiencing homelessness but they do not end homelessness, the organisation points out. Over the next five years, it will work to reduce the average length of stay for people alongside improving access and quality of temporary accommodation
- Offering solutions to end homelessness: Temporary accommodation is critical but using it for extended periods impacts mental health, well-being, and also creates a pattern where people remain in a cycle of homelessness, the organisation says. Simon Community will provide permanent housing solutions by growing its Creating Homes Programme. The charity has purchased 17 properties to date and plans to scale this up significantly alongside developing a “socially responsible” model for private landlords. Supporting people experiencing homelessness through Housing First will be another focused area where wrap around services are provided in partnership with local Health Trusts. Over the next five years, Simon Community aims to expand the service geographically across Northern Ireland so any person at risk will be able to access no matter where they are from
- Develop, support, and invest in our people: As well as continually engaging with the people they help to improve what they are doing, the charity has committed to investing in its employees to create a skilled, resilient, and dedicated workforce. Through a “robust” People Plan, the charity says it will be able to meet current recruitment challenges as well as upskill, encourage positive leadership, nurture employee’s well-being, personal development, and engagement
- Building a strong organisation for the future: Finally, the charity plans to improve governance to enhance service delivery, and build a volunteer and partner network across Northern Ireland
Prevention key
The strategic plan was launched at the Ulster Museum in Belfast where industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders came together to explore the potential impact of Doing Things Differently in the hopes of ending homelessness together.
Dennison added: “Prevention is key. By intervening early and providing the necessary support, we can prevent individuals and families from falling into homelessness in the first place. We cannot solve this crisis alone. But together, with the support of our community and partners, we can create a future where everyone has a place to call home.”
Main image: (Left to right) Simon Community NI client, John McNamee; chief executive, Jim Dennison; and managing director of Vienna homelessness organisation neunerhaus, Elisabeth Hammer. Picture credit: Michael Cooper
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