Last night on the streets: introducing our winter campaign
Winter Edition 2023 Introducing our winter campaign Rough sleeping in winter can be fatal. Just one night in the warm can turn someone’s life around. With your support, tonight could be someone’s last night on the streets. The cycle of homelessness It can be hard to see a way out of rough sleeping. Without a home, finding a job is almost impossible and without a job, finding a home is impossible. And in winter, rough sleeping can be dangerous or even fatal. Last year we launched Last Night on the Streets to highlight the dangers of rough sleeping, and our brilliant outreach teams who work all hours to bring people in from the cold to safety. Last night on the streets The demand for support is increasing again this year, and the pressure is on. The numbers of people facing eviction amid a housing emergency have risen to shocking levels, and the cost of living crisis has pushed the most vulnerable into unsuitable temporary accommodation or even onto the streets. As part of our winter campaign and in the hopes of reaching more people like you, we have produced a TV advert that provides a glimpse into a person’s journey from the streets and into accommodation, the harsh winter elements they endure night after night, and the hope that our outreach teams can bring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o8rlUscQGU&t We are so thankful to you for supporting our clients through times like these and we hope to spread the word to as many people as possible. The more wonderful supporters like you we can find, the more people we can help. An end to rough sleeping is possible. Thank you for helping us to get there. Donate now
Keeping best friends together
Summer Edition 2023 Keeping best friends together A pet can be a lifeline for someone recovering from homelessness. That’s why we’re one of the only charities to offer pet friendly accommodation. Having Marnie the poodle really helps Lisa – she keeps her company and gives her motivation. Lisa shares her story: “I started sleeping rough after leaving care at 16. I’d been going to the West End in London with an older girl since I was about 13, and it was always exciting. There were all these older adults and I thought they were looking after me. “One day, they said “do you want to try some crack?”, so I said yes. I didn’t have a clue what it was, but it was nice, and I carried on doing it. “A group of us used to sleep down by Leicester Square. There was an old cinema that had shut down, and we would be in front of the doorway. To be honest, at the time it seemed quite exciting because I’d never experienced any of that before. “But as I got older, I realised it wasn’t exciting. It wasn’t exciting having to wake up and get money for drugs every morning.” “I’m 38 now, and I’ve stayed in lots of hostels over the years, but this is the best hostel I’ve ever been in. The minute I walked through those doors, it’s like a proper community. You can come down for breakfast, they do wellbeing group, and the Recovery College is just across the street.” “They do arts and crafts and cookery groups. The managers are so friendly, and the staff will help you any way they can. “It’s so nice to have Marnie, my mum’s dog here too. To be able to have a little companion. When I’m on my own I just want to stay in bed. Because I’m not using drugs anymore, I’m on methadone. But when I’ve got Marnie with me, we’ve got a nice little routine. I couldn’t stay in all day with her, it wouldn’t be fair. She’d get bored. “In future, I’d like to get my own place, with my own dog. I love staffs. I’m also trying to get into voluntary work – I want to do anything working with dogs. My support worker’s very encouraging, and he’s helping me look into it.” Help support more people like Lisa Take the Lead Do you have a dog that you enjoy walking? Could you walk 26 or 50 miles together in a month? If the answer’s yes, then why not take part in our dog walking challenge, Take the Lead this August? And help raise vital funds to end homelessness. Choose to walk either 26 or 50 miles in a month with your four legged friend. You can take on this paw-some challenge anywhere, in your own time and at your own pace. You could choose to go on short walks every day, or go for longer distances at the weekend – it’s your challenge, so you can decide when and where you clock up the miles. Register for free today to receive a St Mungo’sT-shirt and mile tracker. Plus, get a funky St Mungo’s dog bandana if you raise over £50. As one of the only charities to offer pet friendly accommodation, you’ll be helping to keep more friends like Lisa and Marnie together. Find out more
Championing better care
Summer Edition 2023 Championing better care Matt Bawden, Regional Head for North Region and Physical Health explains how our two CQC registered care homes support clients, and shares the findings of our recent care review. “People who’ve experienced long term homelessness often have multiple physical and mental health needs, and higher levels of drug and alcohol use. All of these things can prove very challenging for a mainstream care home to support. “That’s where St Mungo’s registered care homes come in. Our staff are trained in managing challenging behaviour, understanding complex traumas, and working in a psychologically informed way. So rather than evicting people when they show challenging behaviour, we’re able to meet them where they are. “For example, many of our clients use alcohol problematically. But rather than banning it, which wouldn’t work, we deliver a harm reduction model – supporting clients to reduce their alcohol in a controlled and sustainable way. “This not only helps improve their physical health, but also reduces the risk of conflict with staff or residents. “We produce alcohol agreements with clients so they can agree on the amount they will drink when they move into the home. Chichester Road had a beautiful garden “It’s about creating a joint effort rather than telling them what to do. And that helps them to be more open to all the other support that we’re able to offer.” “Our clients are often frequent users of primary care services like A&E before they move in, but we often see a reduction in use over time, because they’re getting the support they need. If we excluded them for drinking, they wouldn’t get that support. “Another benefit that’s quite hard to measure, but is really important to us, is an increase in dignity. If someone has issues with things like personal care or incontinence, living in a hostel is not ideal. We regularly notice an improvement in people’s appearance and self-confidence when they move into one of our care homes.” Our care review Our care home at Hilldrop Road Our care homes are a great example of how the right care, delivered in the right place, can transform a person’s quality of life and support them to leave homelessness behind for good. Sadly, there are very few services like this available. Last year we decided to carry out a care review, to find out more about the care and support needs of clients across all of St Mungo’s services, and see if there is a need for more specialist care homes. Our review found that the main challenges to accessing the right care are: A lack of specialist care homes Currently, there are simply not enough beds to meet demand. Long waits for the Care Act assessment When someone needs care, our staff will refer them to the council for a Care Act assessment. But a large proportion of St Mungo’s managers described long delays in waiting for assessments and decisions, and increasingly high assessment thresholds. A lack of understanding of complex needs Many St Mungo’s services found external care teams to be unresponsive and inflexible when working with people with complex needs, such as clients with experience of drug and alcohol use. Life Changing Care We are sharing the findings of the review in our report, Life Changing Care: The role, gaps and solutions in providing social care to people experiencing homelessness. It will be shared with policy makers and sector professionals to raise awareness and promote much needed change. Read the full report Hear from our clients Ken “I’ve lived here just over a year. I was sleeping rough for a while, and to come into somewhere warm, it’s real cosy. “I’ve stayed in some places where you’re really not supported at all, but I feel properly supported here. You get your own room, can have your own independence, but you can also be social. You’ve got a pool table, TV. And we have residents’ meetings where we can bring up any problems. But I don’t have any – I’m really grateful to be here. I would give it 100/100.” Lewis “I’ve lived here for over 10 years now. I was in a more independent place but then I became ill. It’s good – they help you manage your money, you get a regular haircut and shave, and the food is good. They do a big breakfast sometimes, which I enjoy.”
Challenging prejudice against Roma people
Summer Edition 2023 Challenging prejudice against Roma people We believe that nobody should be left to face the streets alone – no matter where they’re from – and our Roma Rough Sleeping Service aims to tackle the unique issues that Roma face. Manager, Nico shares their achievements so far: “I joined St Mungo’s as an Outreach Worker in 2020. My colleagues were finding it hard to engage with Roma people who were rough sleeping, because they didn’t have the cultural understanding or speak the language. Roma tend to stick together in groups and that can make them difficult for outreach workers to approach too. “Having previously worked with Roma across Europe, and being Roma myself, the skills and experience I was able to share really helped us to break through to this community. “Then, in December 2020, we received our first funding to pilot the Roma Rough Sleeping Service. For that year it was just me and one other colleague, so we were very busy. “Since then, we have become a permanent service, growing to employ three mediators, one coordinator and a manager. “We support clients to access immigration advice – making sure they are referred to the right services, and going with them to appointments so they feel supported. We can also translate for them if necessary.” “Another big area of our work is health – getting clients registered with a GP and access to health services. We also help people with benefits, employment and housing, and so far we’ve supported 20 people into accommodation, which is a huge achievement. “One of our strongest skills is knowing how to navigate between the two systems – the British system of law and services and everything, and the Roma cultural system. That’s why my colleagues are called mediators, because they are in between the two. It’s the first time we have Roma mediators hired in the UK, so St Mungo’s is really breaking through. A shocking 87% of Roma rough sleepers have struggled to access homelessness services. “Another skill we have in this team is that we are advocates for our clients. We can see where the system doesn’t work, and the barriers that are created because of stereotypes and discrimination, and take action.” “The team have trained hundreds of practitioners across London on Roma history and culture, and how to work with Roma rough sleepers. “I’m very proud of my team because in a very short time, we have succeeded to really touch the lives of our people. Seeing people I met in 2020, who never dreamed to have a house here and are now inside accommodation, is the highest reward we can get in our work. “And our work is being recognised by others too. Last year, we were thrilled to receive a letter from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, commending our service.” “Your work has had a real impact on improving engagement and trust between Roma people sleeping rough and mainstream services.” Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London © Greater London Authority Frequently asked questions Who are Roma? There are an estimated 10-12 million Roma currently living in Europe. Historians believe that Roma first arrived here from North West India sometime around the 12th century. Roma have a common language, Rromanës, which has different dialects. How are they affected by homelessness? Roma have faced a long history of prejudice and organised persecution since arriving in Europe. In some countries, Roma were enslaved until the 19th century. They were targeted by the Nazis during the holocaust, and between the 1970’s and 1990’s, the Czech Republic and Slovakia sterilized Romani women against their will. Unfortunately, prejudice is still widespread and today, and 80% of Roma in Europe live below the risk of poverty threshold. This, alongside culture and language barriers, has created a sense of distrust amongst Roma communities, making it harder for them to access mainstream support like housing services. What’s the difference between Roma and Romanian? Roma does not mean Romanian – it is a coincidence that the two words are similar. But Romania has one of the highest populations of Roma in the world, which is why this is a common misconception. What’s the difference between Roma, gypsies and travellers? Roma are often wrongly called “gypsies”. This name came about because people assumed they were Egyptian, and shortened this to “gypsy”. Roma shouldn’t be called “travellers” either. Irish and Scottish Travellers have their own unique identity and culture which is very different to Roma. And whilst Roma travelled from place to place in the past, most of the population is now settled in one place.
Shining a light on women’s homelessness
Shining a light on women’s homelessness This month, we’ve launched Visible Women. A new campaign which aims shine a light on women’s homelessness, and help women access the support they need. Kate, Women’s Recovery Coordinator “I lead Safe Space – a project that looks at new ways to help some of the most vulnerable women in our services. Specifically, women experiencing multiple disadvantage including sexual exploitation, violence and abuse.” “We want to build trust, and remove barriers to accessing talking therapy. By bringing specialised support directly to them.” “We’ve found that these women have a wide range of support needs, but they do share two key things. An experience of trauma and a lack of trust in services.” “Almost all of the women we’re working with would otherwise struggle to access this kind of help. Because of the complex trauma they have experienced, attending appointments and structured sessions is a barrier. “Many of the women we work with are drug and alcohol dependent and this too can exclude them from traditional services.” Maria, Psychotherapist “The service is unique because it draws on all the knowledge we’ve gained through the Safe Space project, and there are no formal referrals or assessments. “I’ll start by going to a hostel and introducing myself. I let the women know that I’ll be there on certain days and times. If they’re interested, they can choose whether they want to do drop-ins, or have a set appointment. Flexibility is really important. “If someone doesn’t feel comfortable talking at the hostel, we’ll go out. It’s all about giving back choice and control. They can take their time to get to know me before digging deeper into things.” “Psychotherapy can look very different for everyone, it’s very client led. Most clients will tell me what their goals are. It might be moving out, or having their own place. Then we’ll start working on goals that are closer, or thinking about what actions they need to take to get there.” “Another big part of what we do is networking with other services and empowering women to advocate for themselves. To ask for what they need. “We are often present during meetings with other services or staff, and the client will speak for themselves.” “When we first started the project, we thought that we would have to really work hard to get women to get involved. But the appetite for this is massive. We’ve got lots of ambitious ideas for the future and we want to reach as many women as possible.” Kate Meet Sophia “I used to sleep behind the police station in Hounslow to keep safe. During the day, I sat on the tube, riding back and forth from Cockfosters to Heathrow. “As a woman, you get a lot of people offering you money for sexual favours. Some men out there, they’ll see a vulnerable woman and use that to their advantage. I’ve seen it happen to people and it’s not nice.” “But St Mungo’s supported me. They got me some clothes, they got me some food and they said ‘you’re safe now.” Read Sophia’s full story here. Find out more about women’s homelessness on our Visible Women page.
Grange Road service gets a glow up
We’ve been commissioned by City of London to provide a high needs support service in the borough of Southwark, and we’re pleased to announce that doors to our Grange Road service opened just a few months ago. But it’s more than just a lick of paint – the space has been redesigned with the principles of Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) in mind. This means that the environment takes into account people’s previous experiences, and how these can impact their future recovery and development. By providing a safe, inclusive and therapeutic space, we are able to support clients in addressing traumatic experiences they might have had. Inside our Grange Road service Service Development Manager, Jack, explains: “We’re going to be supporting a very diverse, complex group of clients at this service. They might have experienced severe trauma, substance and alcohol use, mental health issues, or prison. To give them the best chance, it’s really important that we get them into an environment like this. “The hostel consists of a number of open plan spaces, which you don’t always get at a standard hostel. “I’ve previously managed hostels where the rooms are quite small. And if clients are coming out of prison, or another institution, it can be a trigger for them. “Our rooms are spacious and bright, and we’ve tried to offer as many self-contained rooms as possible, with their own desks, kitchenettes and private bathrooms. “To support the 29 clients who are living [at Grange Road], we have a large staff team and robust staffing structure in place. This consists of three staff members being on shift at any time. Day or night, seven days a week. This is to ensure that we are able to provide high levels of support and increase positive interactions with clients. We also have an in house psychologist who attends once a week.” “We even have a medical room, where nurses and GP’s will be able to hold clinics. It can be hard enough to get a doctor’s appointment, let alone when you’re experiencing homelessness. So we’re making that process easier by bringing it all in house.” Jack, Service Development Manager at Grange Road Take a tour around Grange Road Clients are greeted by an open plan reception area, with no barriers between them and staff. The lounge is full of natural light. There is plenty of space to relax, socialise or take part in activities. Colours have been carefully chosen to inspire a sense of calm and optimism. Previous Next
Space to breathe
We have found that 69% of our clients have a mental health problem that hinders their recovery from homelessness, or causes them distress. Very often, these people need bespoke services, and a dedicated space to recover. We run dedicated mental health services, to give people who need extra support the best chance of recovery. One of our South London services includes 12 self-contained flats for adults with complex and long term mental health needs. People often stay here after spending some time in hospital, when conventional supported housing can’t meet their needs. Complete with a large communal living area and garden, our staff are there to provide any support that clients want or need. From practical daily living skills, to employment and education. As well as recreational activities like gardening, jewellery making, and even karaoke! Sheila and Channan share their experiences of living here. “We aim to make this a very therapeutic place to be, with a focus on providing highly personalised support. We see a really low level of hospital admissions, which is a huge leap forward for some clients and something to be celebrated. We often get compliments from clients and their families about how well they are doing here.” Gala, service manager “I deal with things a lot better” – Sheila “Since moving here, I deal with things a lot better than I did. I went through a long period of time where I was in the hospital frequently. “But now, I feel much better. It’s been a really long time since I was last admitted. And I think a huge amount of that is due to the staff here. I get along well with them all and I feel they’re really devoted to their jobs. “The staff can give you a lot of input when you need it. And then when you’re well you don’t need it so much, they’ll step back a bit. You’ll still get to see them throughout the day, but they won’t intrude on your privacy. “I’ve loved being here and I’m hoping to move on soon. But it’s hard because what I need is not very common. Although my mental health improving, I’m always going to need help for my physical health. St Mungo’s are helping me look for somewhere suitable.” “It’s settled my mind” – Channan “Before I arrived, I’d been in the psych ward for about five months. I even had to spend my 21st and Christmas there! I had been waiting for the right accommodation, but finally, I was able to move in. “There were a lot of activities for us to do too. Like gardening, painting and art, jewellery making, walking club, and even karaoke. The activities coordinators were quite helpful with finding out what we wanted to do and getting us engaged. “They supported me with planning my weeks every week, because that was one of the things I struggled with and was a trigger for me. “I have a lot of health issues as well. So when I had appointments or had to go in for surgery they’d support me to go. “I was able to get a job at a care home for people with dementia. And if I do need support, I’m better at speaking to someone and getting help instead of going down a risky road. “It’s also helped me to get used to spending time alone. I knew the staff were always there to support me, but having my own flat helped me to have that independence and love my own company. “I’ve rebuilt my relationship with my mum, who I’ve moved back in with. And I’m excited to have found out I’m pregnant, and that I’ll have mum’s support to raise my baby.” “I’m thankful for St Mungo’s and for this place, because without it I wouldn’t be where I am today. The last two years could have gone very differently. They’ve really helped me to get back on track.” Channan
StreetLink: everything you need to know
As one of the largest providers of outreach services in England, we go out morning, noon and night to meet people who are sleeping rough. We work with our clients to gain their trust and offer them routes out of homelessness. For many, meeting a member of our outreach team is the first step on their journey to recovery. Often, it is members of the public like you who make these meetings possible. What is StreetLink and how does it work? “StreetLink will process your alert and pass it on to the local outreach team, so they can go out and look for the person. Ellie, Volunteer Shift Leader StreetLink is a referral service that can be used by anyone who wants to help someone sleeping rough. Ellie is a volunteer shift leader, and tells us more about it. If you want to help someone you’ve seen sleeping rough, but don’t know what to do, StreetLink is a simple way to take action. Send an alert on our website, providing the exact location of where you have seen someone sleeping. “If the outreach team is able to find someone, they’ll do an assessment to see what their situation is, connect them with local services, and work to help them move off the streets for good. “StreetLink London is a self-referral phone line, for people who are currently rough sleeping in London. We connect people who are rough sleeping with the local outreach team and can signpost the caller to local organisations, such as local housing options, where they can make a homeless application. We can also direct the caller to day centres, where they can get food, showers and advice during the day time. If you are concerned for someone rough sleeping, you can use the StreetLink website to create an alert for the local outreach team. There have been a few times when someone has made an alert after going through the StreetLink process themselves. They’ve been helped by someone making a StreetLink alert for them, and want to do the same for someone else. So it’s great to see that it works!” What makes a good StreetLink alert? “When making an alert, we need a really clear location. You might identify a nearby building or street. Some people use what3words, which breaks an area down into 3×3 meter squares, which is especially useful if someone’s rough sleeping in a forest or woodland area. “The outreach teams who respond to our alerts get lots of referrals to attend, so it makes it easier for them to reach as many people as possible. “Describing what the person is wearing and any standout characteristics is helpful too.” You can make a StreetLink alert by visiting their website. Please remember that StreetLink is not an emergency response service. If someone requires urgent medical attention, call 999. How can I get involved? “We’re always on the lookout for volunteers on the telephone line. Especially as we head towards winter time, when we tend to get very busy. We have about 40 volunteers at the moment, but we want to get back to where we were pre-pandemic, when we had around 80. It would help us to reach so many more people. “Most of our work is volunteer led, and we’re so proud of the work they do. When people first come in, they might be a bit nervous about having to get on the phone. But we provide lots of training and listen in to their first calls, so that if there’s any difficult situations, they know what to do. It’s great to see our volunteers grow more confident and feel that they’re making a difference. “Last year, we nominated five volunteers for The Marsh Awards, which celebrates the achievements of volunteers across the UK, and all five won! It was a really rewarding moment for the whole team.” If you’re interested in volunteering with our London-based StreetLink team, and would like more information, click here.
Homelessness and men’s mental health
Homelessness and mental health are issues that intersect. Last year, 69% of clients who were assessed needed support for their mental health. Having a friend or family member to speak to helps, but for men, stigmas around mental health can make it more challenging to open up. That’s why our Bristol Floating Mental Health Support team have set up Men’s Group – an informal, weekly group where men can sit, chat and make friends. Jamie, James and Simon share what the group’s been up to, and how we tackling the issue of homelessness and mental health. Supporting men’s mental health Jamie: Mental Health Floating Support Worker “As a Mental Health Floating Support Worker, I support around 17 clients across Bristol.” “Lots of the people I work with have lived lonely lives. Whilst there are women’s groups for clients who want to chat and share experiences, I couldn’t find anything similar for men. “That’s why I decided to start a Men’s Group. I wanted to create an informal space where men could come and meet new people, chat, play games and listen to music – an escape from their daily stresses. “At the time we were still in the middle of the pandemic, and couldn’t host groups inside. But it was summer, so we decided to go to the park, meet at the bandstand, and have a BBQ. And that’s where it all began! “Our clients really enjoyed coming every week, and with summer coming to an end, we needed a sheltered space to meet. We didn’t have a big budget to work with, so the Putting Down Roots team offered to share their wonderful garden enclosure with us, and we’ve been meeting here ever since. “I think the group’s been successful because we’re quite small, which makes it less intimidating, and easier for people to get to know each other. There’s no set format or pressure for people to talk about anything – they can just sit here and chill.” “Because a lot of the men who come to the group have shared similar experiences, they’ve actually become really supportive of each other, which is amazing. Someone might be going through a rough patch, and if someone else has had a similar experience in the past, then they can empathise. It’s a very non-judgmental group – we’re all here for each other. “Last year, we’d planned to host a Christmas party inside, with a pool tournament and food, but unfortunately we had to cancel due to Covid. I’m hoping we can put on something similar this year.” “I have something to look forward to” Simon, St Mungo’s client “I really needed something like this, you know, coming out of the pandemic. My mental health suffered, like loads of others. I live in a flat by myself and it was very isolating and lonely. “I heard about the group through a member of Jamie’s team, so I thought I’d give it a go. I’ve been coming for over a month now and it’s been really good. I struggle with fatigue, so I’m proud that I’ve managed to keep coming. “It’s the only thing I’ll leave my local area for, but it’s nice to get a change of scene and have something to look forward to.” “As we get to know and trust each other, the conversation takes on a life of itself. It goes a bit deeper sometimes, but often it’s just light hearted.” “It takes your mind off things” James, St Mungo’s client “After my brother died, I had a really tough year. “St Mungo’s have helped me keep going with weekly bereavement counselling, and activities like the men’s group. I’m also taking part in English and Maths classes at their Recovery College. “I love meeting new people – and everyone here is really friendly. Having your own space to chat, have a laugh and play games takes your mind off things. I’m always recommending the group to others.” “In the past, I used drink and drugs, but St Mungo’s have helped me to gain a new outlook on life. To tell the truth, I don’t think I’d be here without them.”
What do our clients think of us?
Our recent Client Feedback Survey shows that 93% of people we work with are satisfied with the support they receive. Providing clients with regular opportunities to feedback is key to developing efficient and effective services that meet their needs. The 592 responses we received will help us to form a clearer picture of what we are doing well as an organisation, and identify key areas where we can improve. What our clients say “Since I got here, my health has got much better. I feel very happy, and there is always food to eat when I need it.” “Intensive support when needed was great, and they went above and beyond what any other service would do.” “The biggest credit to the service is the wonderful, kind and helpful staff I interact with daily. I have never met an unkind staff member.” “You’ve made me feel cared for, and given me a great opportunity to get back on my feet. Thank you so much.” Client feedback in numbers 0 % would describe staff as “caring, supportive and respectful” 0 % agree we help them to make positive changes in their life 0 % are satisfied that their needs are understood
