Review Annual 2014-2015
Five years of Hope into Action the story so far Bev’s story of hope Tenants lives: then and now
The Hope into Action Story So Far
Contents The Hope into Action Story So Far The Year at a Glance A Woman’s Story: Bev
Written by Ed Walker
wealth with the poor’) has led to a further 29
3-6
homes for the homeless. Some of these have been from grants but most are from people
7
investing their savings, motivated by a sound investment alongside a social and spiritual
8-9
Why Should Churches Partner with Hope into Action?
10-12
Monitoring our Impact
14-15
Homelessness Levels: The Latest Facts and Figures
16-19
Tenants’ Lives: Then and Now - Carl’s story
20-21
Ways to Give
22
Facts and Figures
23
Andy Lanning
24
return on their money. To date we calculate over £3,200,000 capital has been ploughed into our homes for the homeless. Each home has been opened in partnership with an individual church. Some large, others small, spanning eight denominations. We
I love it when, walking through town, a former tenant stops me in the street, says, ‘Hi’, lets me know how well he/she is doing and then ends the conversation with a heartfelt thank you. This report comes as we celebrate our fifth birthday. Five years ago a couple put some
believe churches, poised as they are in every community, have something unique, relational and spiritual to offer those who need it most. Our tenants receive a home, an empowerment worker and an entire church willing to use its resources to help fight those things which oppress them. We recognise change and transformation takes time – it doesn’t come through one parcel, vial
Our tenants receive a home, an empowerment worker and an entire church willing to use its resources to help fight those things which oppress them. investment capital into a house which, backed by their church, was then used to house two guys in a homeless situation. Using investment capital for charitable purposes (or, as we like to term it, ‘sharing
2
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
@hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
or gift but rather in steadfast ‘journeying with.’ We pray all our tenants feel loved and accepted and that from a place of greater security and belonging, hope might arise and with hope will come positive action. continued >>
3
The Hope into Action Story So Far
Image: Ed meets Iain Duncan Smith
Continued >> It can all sound terribly easy in writing. The reality is very different and we don’t pretend otherwise but we do believe that church members have a Biblical mandate to care for the oppressed and being easy was never a prerequisite. When church volunteers and the marginalised meet and engage (through our homes) then we have succeeded in our mission and both parties will, in some mysterious way, meet Christ and grow. That
Image: Church volunteer group and tenant
is what we are passionate about; our outputs (number of houses – 30; volunteers trained -
With hope will come positive action. over 150; and tenants reached - 87 in the last year) and outcomes (see page 14/15) are pale
indicators of that. On several occasions over the past five years we have had phone calls from people with very similar passions but in a different city. Angie, in Cambridge, had always wanted a church house for women. Michelle in Norwich had always wanted a church house for those coming out of rehab. Dave in Nottingham wanted a house for his church in the Meadows, the same with
Ardva in Lincoln….and so on. It has been a joy to see the model replicated into new cities and serving the local community need as seen by the church (we have now opened a house, for example, for former sex-workers, women under 25, those coming out of rehab etc). We are now working with people in 8 cities. Do get in contact if you also have a similar passion! continued >>
To donate visit: hopetintoaction.org.uk/donate thank you. Continued >> 4
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
@hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
5
The Hope into Action Story So Far continued >> During our five years we have also mourned the passing away of two tenants: one from an over-dose, another from a freak accident and in January this year our trustee Andy Lanning also died very suddenly (see tribute on the back cover).
Perhaps thanks is best encapsulated in ‘Dawn’: I first met her when she was pregnant, homeless and labelled by society as an ‘exoffender’ and a ‘heroin addict.’ Now her child is shortly to start pre-school – bouncy and bubbly, she is maintaining her tenancy in a
When you see and understand the scale of need on our streets: the crime, drugs, homelessness, abuse, prostitution* you will realise why we are passionate about more people being given a home and care by the church. When you see and understand the scale of need on our streets: the crime, drugs, homelessness, abuse, prostitution* you will realise why we are passionate about more people being given a home and care by the church. We are not even meeting a tiny fraction of the need yet. It has been an incredible journey – thank you to everyone: staff, trustees, volunteers, churches, investors, prayer partners, friends, donors who have helped make it a reality.
6
The Year at a Glance We held our Hope into Action service with a guest speaker, John Finlinson.
Opened our first home with a cathedral (Peterborough).
APR 2014
21st
HOUSE
Opened our 5th home in Norwich.
JULY 2014
MAY 2014
JUNE 2014
Opened our 3rd home in Nottingham and our 2nd home in Cambridge.
Opened our first home in Wolverhampton.
22nd
HOUSE
AUG 2014
SEPT 2014
23rd
HOUSE
Our first BIG SLEEP OUT! Nearly 60 people joined to raise awareness of Hope into Action and raised over £11,300.
OCT 2014
JAN 2015
*In the last year, for example, Lankelly Chase have reported that 57,931 people in this country are concurrently involved with: homelessness, offending and substance misuse and 586,000 have contact.
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
DEC 2014
Opened our first home in Ipswich/ Woodbridge, with St Johns Church.
If you feel inspired to give or support us please do get in touch.
@hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
25th
HOUSE
Trained 2 more franchisees.
NOV 2014
‘move-on’ flat – and would be viewed as a normal mother …..one doing an excellent job at that. I won’t forget her heartfelt ‘thank you’ as I bumped into her in town. This report is our way of passing on that thanks to you who have supported us over the years.
24th
HOUSE
FEB 2015
26th
HOUSE
Ran our first ever conference with over 100 people coming from all over England.
MAR 2015
7
and I’m finally getting my health sorted out. I even have a new set of teeth – done by someone in my church. People say I smile more now, which isn’t surprising, because for the first time in years I feel a sense of hope – like life’s worth living.
A Woman’s Story:
I have four grown up children, who I talk to on the ‘phone. Earlier this year, I got back in touch with other members of my family who I hadn’t seen for well over a decade. Now I’ve got my mum back and my brother and sister. I’m ‘Auntie Bev’ to my eight nieces and nephews – it’s amazing.
Bev Written by Ruth Peasgood
I was abused as a child and it’s fair to say that life has been really tough as an adult too. I escaped an abusive relationship, but fell in with the wrong crowd and started taking drugs. Things went downhill very badly; I was so violently raped that I was left for dead, with no jaw, no teeth and burns. I was sleeping in a drug den and felt empty, like I was nothing. I wound up in prison for stealing – which is when life started to turn around for me. I met Andy (the prison chaplain, see back cover) and heard about the Alpha Course. I was put in touch with Hope Into Action and in September 2014 a lovely lady called Carol came to visit me. She’s amazing; never judgemental and always very kind. I love Carol. [Carol is her mentor from the partner church.] When I was released, members of the church met me at the prison gates. Hope Into Action gave me a place to call home and its partner
8
church (St Peter’s) helped me to furnish it. It took a month for my benefits to come through, so the Foodbank and church mentors fed me in the meantime. I met my housemate, Dana, and her daughter Hope, the day I moved into the Hope into Action house. We’re like a little family now, we’re really close.
The support I’ve received from Hope Into Action has been a lifesaver, they’re like a safe harbour in a storm and I honestly don’t know where I would be now without their help. I’d probably be on the streets, or in a filthy drug den. It doesn’t bear thinking about. In the future, I would like to move into my own place, closer to where my mum and my sister live, so that I can be near them and watch my nieces and nephews grow up. To support people like Bev please go to hopeinoaction.org.uk/donate
I was so violently raped that I was left for dead.
little family’
My daughter Hope absolutely loves Bev. She’s always dragging her off to feed the ducks, or to make cakes in the kitchen. Hope refers to us all as ‘our little family’. It honestly feels like we’ve been here forever. Since we moved in, Hope has really blossomed. We live closer to her school now, which means we can walk there instead of having to catch four buses. Now that she has a proper place to do her homework, her reading and school work have really improved. One day, I’d like my own place. I’m working with Hope Into Action to get ready for that. I’m at college studying for my NVQ3 in Community Volunteering and I now feel like I have a future worth working towards. I volunteer regularly with two toddler groups, which I really enjoy. My selfesteem has really grown and I’m much more confident – I’ve even started my own business, selling second hand school clothing.
I’ve received help to work out a repayment plan for my debts and for the first time in my life, I have a proper bank account, so I can be more organised with my finances.
My life is totally unrecognisable from what it was last year. I don’t even want to think about where I might have ended up if it hadn’t been for Hope Into Action. I’ll always be grateful for the new start they’ve given me.
I’ve had a lot of support to stay clean of drugs and feel positive about my future. Hope into Action arranged for me to see a counsellor once a week to talk about the rape and abuse
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
Dana: ‘Our
@hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
9
Why Should Churches Partner with Hope into Action? An interview with Revd Adrian Holdstock, St Mark’s Church in Peterborough.
From the outset of our
relationship, I’ve found Hope Into Action to be immensely trustworthy, responsive and caring. I’m totally confident that anyone who seeks support from them will be in good hands. After speaking at a PCC meeting, Ed Walker brought a tenant to talk to the wider congregation during a Sunday service. (John was his real name) spoke so powerfully about how Hope Into Action had enabled him to transform his life, the congregation was moved to commit to the project. As a church, we’ve committed to the project for five years, and I can’t see any reason why we wouldn’t renew that commitment when the time comes. We’ve been supported along every
10
stage of our journey with Hope Into Action. They’ve never put any pressure on us to take on anything we’re not comfortable with and they’ve always been there for us if we’ve had any concerns; ready and willing to talk things through and pray together.
As a church, we’ve committed to the project for five years, and I can’t see any reason why we wouldn’t renew that commitment when the time comes. Once the tenants have been housed and matched with their mentors, there isn’t a massive commitment in terms continued >>
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
@hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
11
ROUGH IT And help us fight homelessness in Peterborough
Continued >> of time. Tenants have access to a 24/7 helpline, which means that mentors need only be available when they want to be available. Our regular meetings with the key worker assigned to our house, coupled with ongoing support from Hope Into Action, Update Evenings and celebrations (with other churches, tenants and former tenants) make it straightforward and incredibly satisfying to sustain being a partner church long term.
to know that they trust us enough to discuss these things with us.
Of course, there have been challenges to face – but we’ve always been supported by the Hope Into Action team every step of the way. One of the biggest learning curves for us has been to understand some of the lifestyle choices of the younger generation; their attitude to sex, alcohol and recreational drugs for instance. Learning how to express our love and concern for them in a non-judgemental way has been a challenge – but it’s tremendously rewarding
It’s marvellous to see tenants achieve things
One of the biggest learning curves for us has been to understand some of the lifestyle choices of the younger generation.
they’d never achieved before; staying out of prison, getting and keeping work. I’ve also found it truly inspiring to witness the loving concern each of the mentors has for their mentees. The fact that they’re totally committed to being there for them – no matter how challenging the situation – is a real joy to behold.
If your church would like to find out more about our work and to become a Church Partner please call us on 01733 558301. We will be happy to come and talk to your church leader and congregation.
12
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
Last year we saw over 60 people sleeping rough at Ferry Meadows in Peterborough who raised over £11,000. This year we invite you to join us, to sample a small taste of what it might feel like to be homeless. To raise money and awareness of the struggles the homeless face in this city and the work Hope into Action does in combating those issues. We will have live music, camp fires, talks from tenants and other special guests. Contact us for more information or visit: www.hopeintoaction.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1137686
@hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
13
Monitoring our Impact What does ‘holistic’ mean to you? In Luke 4 Jesus outlined a form of outreach which: ‘released the oppressed’, ‘set captives free’ and proclaimed good news. We try to emulate that with our tenants by enabling them to address every area of their lives. Our belief is if we give people a secure and strong loving relationships plus professional support they will do much better at holistically addressing their needs across eight areas. Maintaining their tenancy, abstaining from crime, addressing drug and/or alcohol
Year Year Year ending ending ending 04/13 04/14 04/15
Outcome
1st 2 years
Have maintained their tenancy
76%
97%
96%
91%
“Being in a HIA house means I can provide a safe place for my daughter”.
Have abstained from crime
78%
94%
92%
93%
“I now have a stable environment and support which means I haven’t gone back to my old ways.”
Have volunteered
24%
39%
34%
18%
“I have started volunteering as a way of offering something back.”
Have got Employment, Education, Training (EET)
16%
22%
32%
34%
“This year I have started work as an intern in the HIA office. I really enjoy the work.”
Have improved family relations
64%
83%
69%
59%
“I don’t have Social Services on my back anymore, they know that I am being a good mum.”
Have not abused alcohol or drugs
73%
89%
88%
87%
“Drugs aren’t important to me anymore, I don’t use them or need them.”
Quote from tenant
If your church wants to house the homeless, call us on 01733 558301 to discuss how you can help. 14
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
DID YOU
KNOW? @hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
issues, financial management, volunteering, have found a job or been enrolled in education or training courses and have improved family relations. We are continually trying to improve how we monitor the progress of tenants and the charity as a whole to improve the care we give and also how we work effectively with agencies. Later this year we will be carrying out some research into the true costs to various Government departments to care for people living on the streets compared to our model. We look forward to sharing the results with you.
Every donation makes a difference to us. For example a £20 donation covers the cost of moving a vulnerable person into one of our houses. £32 keeps a tenant in a house for a week. To make a donation visit: hopeintoaction.org.uk/donate
15
Homelessness Levels:
The Latest Facts and Figures We want to make a long-term
difference to people’s lives rather than just a temporary solution. We dream of the homeless rebuilding their lives and becoming members of their local community. We want to provide a more community based approach to tackling homeless issues, with a home in every community which gives the tenants dignity and genuine relationships.
How is Homelessness Affecting People Today? The figures do not make good reading. According to Homeless Link it is estimated that 2,744 people sleep rough on any one night. This is up 14% from the estimated figures in 2013 and 55% from 2010. The recent Hard Edges Report produced by Lankelly Chase found that each year over a quarter of a million people in England are affected in some way by two of either: homelessness, substance misuse or the criminal justice system and at least 58,000 have been affected by all three. continued >>
16
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
@hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
17
Homelessness Levels: The Latest Facts and Figures
Our modele
continued >> The 2015 Crisis report states “Nine percent of adults in England have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives.
(1 in 100 adults according to a CSJ Report), those fleeing domestic violence (1 in 5 women suffering abuse at some stage in their lives), is best done:
Eight percent of those under-25s reporting that this has happened to them in the last five years. This implies that around 185,000 adults experience homelessness each year in England and that it has been increasing over time.
• •
How is Homelessness Being Dealt With? The current system is good up to a point. The system is providing a roof over people’s heads in the form of a hostel. The problem with vulnerable people being in a hostel is that they can find themselves surrounded by negative influences. It is our belief that 95% of tenant ‘issues’ (crime, drugs, abuse) are actually symptoms of a deeper need, and the deeper need is a ‘relational poverty’ experienced in their lives to date. Hope into Action is trying to build a better model for managing the deep relational needs of our tenants by giving them richer relationships than they have ever before experienced. We do this by using volunteers from their community. Therefore, it remains our belief that in this country supporting the homeless, addicts
18
• • •
In homes (rather than hostels) In the community (rather than isolating them from society or moving them to outside institutions With trained, local volunteers (rather than just employees) Using local investment (rather than state money) With a rent which enables them to get employment (rather than being so high it sustains worklessness)
What is Hope into Action Doing About it? Our approach, developed in Peterborough, has been rolled out in eight cities with more to come. Each home is linked to a church and local support group (we offer accredited training to befrienders and mentors). Each tenant works with an experienced Hope into Action Empowerment Worker (paid for by surplus rents) to produce an individual action plan which is regularly reviewed and monitored. This support puts tenants in a better position to seek employment or training, maintain their tenancies, improve family relations, abstain from crime and not abuse drugs and alcohol.
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
Tenants
House
Typically a terraced or semi-detached house in a good area.
Hope into Action Staff
Church support group
Professional staff from Hope into Action carry responsibility for admin, rent, council housing, social services and so on.
The local church group is free to focus on what it does best - building friendship with tenants. Training and help comes from Hope into Action.
Investor
An investor buys a house with advice from Hope into Action, leases it to us, and remains anonymous. Hope into Action manages and maintains the property.
@hopeintoaction
2 tenants per house: eachhas 2 rooms and shared common areas. They pay a modest rent and share bills.
hopeintoaction
19
Tenants Lives: then and now
patronising. He talks to me on the level, as a friend. I know he genuinely cares for me, which is brilliant.
Carl’s Story Written by Ruth Peasgood
When an alcohol-fuelled violent outburst got me locked up, I had a lot of time to think. Somehow I’d changed from being a normal man – with a job, a home and three kids who I saw regularly – to being in prison. The problem was that I used to bottle up my feelings like a pressure cooker; when I blew up, things could get out of hand. I’d pushed a lot of my friends away as I got more and more involved in things that weren’t good for me. While inside, I completed the ‘Challenge to Change’ programme of rehabilitation. This involved abiding by rules, meeting with others as a community and providing peer support. I became a Samaritan’s Listener and also a ‘Connexions’ worker – it felt good to be able to do something positive for the other inmates. As my release date approached in 2013, I knew I needed to make a fresh start. Having got my head straight while in prison, I knew I would need a lot of support when I came out. I’d heard about Hope into Action and was keen to get involved.
20
Before Alan and Marion (my would-be mentors) came to visit me in prison, I was worried what they would think when they read about what I’d been put in jail for. I felt anxious; worried that they might not want to take me on, because on paper, I looked like a violent thug. I felt a bit more at ease once we’d met, but I was still quite nervous and self-conscious until we got to know each other better.
I felt anxious; worried that they might not want to take me on, because on paper, I looked like a violent thug. I was so happy to get a place in the house; finally I had somewhere to go, somewhere to call home. I honestly don’t know where I’d be now without Hope into Action. The support Alan and Marion have given me has been amazing. I really appreciate the way Alan talks things through with me; he’s not afraid to voice his opinion if he doesn’t agree, but he’s never
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
I was blown away when Terry Waite presented me with the Langley Trust ‘Chairman’s Award’ at a ceremony at The House of Lords. He does a lot of work for ex-offenders and I found his speech incredibly moving.
I can’t believe how my life has changed. I can’t believe how my life has changed since I came out. I cope better with my emotions now; rather than bottling things up, I get them off my chest. I like my job and have some really good workmates, it’s great. I finally feel like I can make plans for the future. I’m thinking about moving into my own place – maybe another shared house – closer to where I work. Blair (my housemate) and I have a really close bond; he’s like my little brother. We’ll definitely stay in touch when we move on.
Alan Peasgood, St Mark’s Peterborough:
A Mentor’s Perspective: Carl’s a very good guy, a very likeable person with a good work ethic. He’s really proved himself at work and has been a very good friend to some of his workmates, who now give him lifts to work to make life a bit easier for him. There’s an awful lot more to Carl than meets the eye; he was a Samaritan’s Listener while he was inside and he’s been a very good listener to his friends on the outside too. He’s
@hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
even been using his horticultural expertise to cultivate an impressive vegetable patch in the back garden. Carl’s no criminal; he’s a very decent, normal bloke who due to a very difficult set of circumstances – and a lot of alcohol – temporarily went off the rails. I’ve said to him on a number of occasions ‘I’m not worried about you; I know you won’t go there again’. It’s been a real privilege to watch Carl flourish and get his life back on track. The way he has turned his life around is a joy to see.
21
Ways to GIVE It goes without saying that achieving our vision of one house, per church, per community can’t be done on thin air. We strive to keep administration costs down to a minimum (and indeed believe we run at a far lower costs than other homeless charities). Nevertheless we need money to run. If you feel that this organization is something you would like to support then do please sign up here.
Facts & Figures
A One off Donation... You can make a one off donation by visiting www.hopeintoaction.org.uk/donate or you can donate by text.
How to Donate by TEXT You can now text your support for Hope into Action. It is quick and easy to donate by text. The donation is added to your next phone bill. All you need to do is send a text message to 70070 with HIAS11 followed by the amount you want to donate.
£5 £10
The average length of stay for a tenant
years of age - our oldest tenant
£3.2 million of Christian wealth invested into homes for the homeless through Hope into Action so far… We housed five mothers with their children in the past year
To make a one off donation of £5 text HIAS115 to 70070.
To make a regular donation simply fill in the form at the back of this publication and return it to us.
Thanks.
To make a one off donation £10 text HIAS1110 to 70070.
Leaving a Gift in your Will Leaving a gift in your will to Hope into Action can make a positive impact on the homeless and vulnerable for generations to come.
Keep up to date with all the Hope into Action news via our Facebook page or Twitter @hopeintoaction
22
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
£3,062 raised by The Kings School Peterborough this year for Hope into Action
volunteer mentors trained to support tenants since 2010
people sleeping in our homes tonight thanks to you
raised by supporters sleeping rough for one night during our BIG SLEEP OUT
Hope into Action has spoken up on behalf of the homeless on BBC Look East, Radio Norfolk, Radio Cambs, Radio Lincolnshire and has appeared in The Baptist Times and The Church Times
@hopeintoaction
hopeintoaction
travelled from around the country to attend the first Hope into Action Conference
23
ANDY LANNING
Tragically and suddenly Andy Lanning passed away on 28th January 2015. As prison chaplain at HMP Peterborough, he was a passionate supporter of all we stand for, one of the core group who helped set up Hope into Action in 2010. Andy possessed an incredible gift for helping people who found themselves on the edge of society. Servant of the church, fighter for injustice, friend of the poor. ‘Rivers of living water flowed within him1’. In his honour one of our conference awards and one of our new counselling rooms are named after him. Our prayers and condolences remain with his family. He is greatly missed. John 7:38
1
Hope into Action, 26 North Street, Peterborough PE1 2RA E: info@hopeintoaction.org.uk T: 00 44 (0)1733 558301 W: hopeintoaction.org.uk Twitter: @hopeintoaction Facebook: www.facebook.com/hopeintoaction Registered in England and Wales No. 7309173. Registered charity No. 1137686