Single Homeless Project’s Post

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭? Women on the streets will often hide away to stay safe. It keeps them hidden from dangers but also hidden from the support they desperately need. When women do sleep rough visibly, it is often with partners who abuse and exploit them in exchange for 'protection'. It means typical homeless counting methods underreport the number of women who are rough sleeping. These women are being let down by traditional systems, falling through the cracks and are often not having their homelessness resolved for months or even years. In this eye-opening episode of The Do One Better Knowledge Hub and Podcast, our Board Chair, Jon Rosser, speaks about our impact in London, rising homelessness across the country and our crucial work with women experiencing homelessness. 🎙️ Jon shines a light on our pioneering women's rough sleeping census, developed and managed in partnership with Solace Women's Aid and delivered by a coalition of incredible #homelessness and cross-sector organisations. Together, we're advocating for improved gender-informed support and policies, more women-only accommodation and investment in equitable data collection methods that account for women's experiences of homelessness. Only then will these women get the essential support they deserve. • Listen to the full podcast here 🎧 👉 https://lnkd.in/eDZtmHs8 • Please share the link to help us spread awareness of this work 📢 • Click the link to find out more about our work with women 🔗 www.shp.org.uk/women Every woman deserves a place to call home and a life free from violence and abuse. #HomelessnessAwareness #DomesticViolence #RoughSleeping #Podcast #Advocacy #WomensHomelessness

With the census results becoming publicly available in the coming months, we need to keep the statistics around women experiencing homelessness at the front of our minds. "Every year, we invest over $300m in emergency housing grants, on top of significant investment in other housing subsidies. The last census found that 102,123 people identified as experiencing “severe housing deprivation” - the proxy we use for those living unhoused. Of that group, an internationally high number of 50% identified as women. That’s more than 50,000 people." Thank you to Jo Cribb, Caroline Herewini, Helen Robinson, Jill Hawkey and Victoria Crockford for joining forces to create The Coalition to End Women's Homelessness – These are the leaders in our community who are committed to working collaboratively to ensure: - Government housing policy captures and reflects the experiences of women. - That significant data and evidence about the needs of women experiencing homelessness is gathered and used appropriately. - Funding of the type and quantum needed to address women's housing issues is made available. - Housing and services meet the diverse needs of women, with a focus on wahine Māori. Click to read the full article by Victoria Crockford, convenor of the Coalition – https://lnkd.in/gp9TwYbY Click to learn more or support The Coalition to End Women's Homelessness - https://lnkd.in/ge7amJ25 #WHWT #SupportOurWahine #BuildingCommunities #EmpoweringWomen

March is #WomensHistoryMonth, celebrating the remarkable achievements, resilience, and ongoing struggle for equality and justice. In this reflection, let's also turn our attention to ongoing challenges affecting women, such as #homelessness. Did you know that women and families represent the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population in the U.S.? There are approximately 582,462 individuals experiencing homelessness in the U.S., and the numbers have only increased since 2020 and #COVID19. More than a quarter of those experiencing homelessness are women, some with children, and currently make up about 34% of the homeless population. While the lack of affordable housing is a significant factor contributing to homelessness, there are various challenges that demand our collective attention and efforts. This Women’s History Month let's honor the past and address the present by raising awareness and advocating for change in our collective pursuit for #healthequity.

✨ The under-representation of women in homelessness statistics has obscured the need for women-only supported accommodation. This creates a vicious circle, whereby a lack of gender-informed services further conceals the realities of women’s homelessness. This hiddenness manifests firstly in the sense of women avoiding more visible rough sleeping, and secondly by systemic failures to recognise their homelessness. ♀ Listen and see an exploration of women’s experiences of transitioning out of homelessness in London, informed by feminist participatory research that centres participants as experts. Challenging perceptions about homelessness, it will illuminate women’s narratives to provide insights for policymakers. 📷 Alongside semi structured interviews with 17 women, a Photovoice study visually captured their experiences. Collaborating with seven of the participants, over 130 photos were produced. With their permission, a selection of photos will be presented to consider the meanings the women ascribe to the images, unfurling the layers of hiddenness in women’s experiences of homelessness. 🎟 Eventbrite link in comments 💬 Sara is a Doctoral Researcher at Loughborough University investigating women’s experiences of transitioning out of homelessness in London. Previously, Sara worked for over a decade in the non-profit sector specialising in international development and gender equity. Alongside her PhD, Sara hosts The Meaning of Home, a monthly podcast discussing the complexities between home and homelessness with expert guests. #homelessness #creativemethods #women #photovoice #chrphomeless Psychology, University of Southampton Jennifer Tarabay Nick Maguire Sara Christou Loughborough University

Women experience homelessness differently to men. They are much more likely to be ‘hidden homeless’, because it’s dangerous being visible on the street. This can also make it harder to reach them and offer support. We aim to create an environment of physical and psychological safety for all the women we support, no matter what service they are accessing. Read more about how women experience homelessness and the support that we offer: https://lnkd.in/d-Y_F_VT #Women #Homelessness #IWD2024

When we talk to women rough sleeping, many report feeling unsafe in mixed-sex, male-dominated homelessness services. We know traditional services are failing them, but we’re here to support people on their own terms in a way that feels safe to everyone we see. To find out more about the women we support, tap the below #TheConnection https://lnkd.in/gErX-SHX

One of our key election asks is for the next government to adopt a gender informed approach to its policies when tackling women’s homelessness. As the 2023 Women’s Rough Sleeping Census showed, women’s experiences of rough sleeping are often ‘hidden, transient and intermittent’; women are underrepresented in homelessness statistics since they are less inclined to visibly sleep rough for reasons of safety, out of sight of outreach teams and offers of assistance. The inequity in current rough sleeping definitions, strategies, and homelessness data collection disadvantage women. ‘Ending rough sleeping for good,’ as set out in government strategy, will not happen unless the specific and diverse needs of women experiencing homelessness are met. You can find out more about the latest Census, led by Solace Women's Aid and Single Homeless Project, and its implications in the latest blog on our website by our Migrant Services and Advocacy Manager, Anna Yassin: https://lnkd.in/eseEYryr

Sharing this thought-provoking op-ed penned by Victoria Crockford for the Coalition to End Women's Homelessness and published on International Women's Day. We were delighted to collaborate closely and provide insights and information for this insightful piece. Vic makes a compelling call for the need to plan and design solutions with a gender lens. "Every year, we invest over $300m in emergency housing grants, on top of significant investment in other housing subsidies. The last census found that 102,123 people identified as experiencing “severe housing deprivation” - the proxy we use for those living unhoused. Of that group, an internationally high number of 50% identified as women. That’s more than 50,000 people. But we have no plan, policy, or funding that recognises the unique challenges and needs of these women." Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gp9TwYbY Thank you Vic for your timely article. We are stronger when we work together to shape the narrative and drive meaningful conversations so that women's homelessness is visible and addressed. #collaboration #thoughtleadership #housingforall #iwd2024

‼️Reserve your spot! We are hosting a webinar that will dive into the siloed approach to addressing homelessness for pregnant women & gender-diverse people. Want to learn more? Register Here: https://loom.ly/whUZGHM

As we celebrate International Women's Day, it's crucial to shine a spotlight on a overlooked issue (outside of the sector) – the plight of women experiencing homelessness in England. The latest rough sleeping data paints a grim picture, with 568 women (15% of the total) sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2023. However, this number may not fully capture the reality, as the sleeping patterns of women experiencing homelessness are often more hidden and challenging to quantify. One staggering statistic that demands our attention is the average age of death for women experiencing homelessness – a mere 43 years old, compared to the general population's average of 80. This stark contrast is a sobering reminder of the harsh realities faced by women experiencing homelessness , who are deprived of basic necessities and access to essential services. Despite these daunting challenges, there is a glimmer of hope in the tireless efforts of the sector, which is working diligently to commission services, conduct research, and push for policy changes that address women's homelessness. It is heartening to see the sector recognise the importance of collecting data through a gender lens and amplifying the voices of women who have experienced homelessness firsthand. On this International Women's Day, we must applaud the women in the sector who have pushed for this crucial data collection and research, allowing the stories and experiences of women experiencing homelessness to be heard and understood. Their efforts have paved the way for a better understanding of the unique challenges faced by women experiencing homelessness and have facilitated the development of more targeted and effective solutions. As someone who has had the privilege of traveling across the country, meeting and speaking with individuals affected by homelessness, and finding ways for research to facilitate positive change, I can attest to the transformative power of designing research that allows people to heard. On this day, let us not only celebrate the achievements of women but also renew our commitment to addressing the systemic issues that contribute to women's homelessness. Together, I hope to see a world where every woman has access to safe and secure housing, where their dignity is upheld, and where their voices are amplified, leading to lasting change. Happy International Women's Day!