e the Enabling churches to hous
homeless
Annual
Review 2022-2023
Welcome from our CEO, Jon Kuhrt I was drawn to work for Hope into Action because of the blend of professional excellence and spiritual passion that I had seen in their work. In faith-based charities these two qualities often get pushed apart. But at Hope into Action, we want our faith in Jesus to fire our professional excellence. It’s because both elements are so important and it is the blend that makes our work truly effective. As I have visited homes across our Network this year, I have heard
Professional Excellence
about how the combination of professional support from Empowerment Workers and the friendship and community from the churches has made the difference to tenants. Hope into Action provide so much more than the resource of housing. We offer relationships through the local church and a vital connection to community. In addition, we provide an opportunity for tenants to explore the faith which lies at the heart of our work. This year we have seen 50% of our tenants choose to engage with church activities beyond those provided by
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the Friendship and Support volunteers. And 6 tenants chose to be baptised this year. This spiritual engagement complements the wider outcomes we celebrate such as
Spiritual Passion
abstaining from crime, improving mental health and finding employment. I hope you enjoy the report and I sincerely thank you for your interest and partnership. Your support enables us to put Hope into Action! With thanks,
Jon Kuhrt, CEO
www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
The Statistics A summary of what your support helped us achieve last year. By the end of March 2023, we had:
104
412 PEOPLE HOUSED IN 2022/23
PARTNER CHURCHES
Outcome
2022-23 [2021-22]1
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NEW HOMES OPENED IN 2022/23
Description Adults: 300 (195 Male, 105 Female) Children: 112
Total number of tenants
412
[ from 352]
50% classed themselves as White British. 28% of our tenants were refugees, mostly families. 24% of tenants considered themselves to have a disability.
Maintaining Tenancy
Abstaining from Crime
383 of 412 remained in our houses and/or moved on well.
92%
63 tenants have previously served a custodial sentence.
89%
122 tenants have (had) a relationship with drugs and alcohol. 89% of those have not become more dependent, have reduced their dependency or became sober.
[ from 90%]
Of those, 92% did not reoffend.
Drug and Alcohol Intake has not increased
[ 89%]
Improved Social Relationships
[ from 91%]
Meaningful Use of Time: Volunteering, Training and Education
[ from 41%]
The number of adult tenants in education, training or volunteering was 96 (of 300).
37%
112 adult tenants in employment of all kinds (zero hours, full and part time contracts).
88% 32%
Meaningful Use of Time: Employment
[ from 35%]
Improving Financial Management
[ from 88%]
Mental Health
Engaging with Faith and Spirituality (beyond the church’s Friendship & Support Group) 1
93%
[ from 92%]
264 of our tenants felt that they had improved or maintained positive relationships.
3% of adult tenants were unable to work.
81%
68% of tenants did not have rent arrears;
92%
61% of tenants indicated that they had physical or mental health needs at start of year or point of referral.
[ from 88%]
50%
[ from 22%]
10% of tenants were actively managing debt.
92% of these maintained or improved this during the year. 50% of tenants engaged in a church service, Christian course or activity and 20% of tenants attended church more than once a month. 56% of tenants asked for or accepted prayer. 6 tenants were baptised. 13% of tenants engaged with a faith group other than the Christian faith.
signifies increase from last year / signifies same result / signifies drop from last year @hopeintoaction
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The Stories
Glimpses of the lives changed through
“Before I came to this house, I felt I had a dark cloud hanging over me. It is gone now. You are like friends. I can be myself. Usually, people run away when I tell them my story. You are still here. I know you are praying for us.” HIA TENANT, CAMBRIDGE
“I couldn’t have done it without your assistance. It’s given me the time and breathing space I needed to slowly rebuild myself and for that I’ll be forever grateful.” HIA TENANT, OAKHAM
“Your kindness and understanding is soooo appreciated and I really thank you!! I found today overwhelming and your kindness really restored my faith in humans and helps me face what the next few days/weeks throw at me so again thank you from the bottom of my heart.” HIA TENANT, MID-SUSSEX
“A young woman who had lived in one of our homes several years ago had been back to their partner church to share her testimony and to publicly apologise for her behaviour and treatment of the F&S group whilst she was a HIA tenant. In her appearance, manner, and action it was evident that she had encountered Jesus. She is now involved with another church and is helping other homeless people.” HIA PETERBOROUGH
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www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
our work this year... “Over the last year M. has quietly cleaned and maintained the house, when other tenants have been less motivated, and he thinks that no one notices. But his impact is very noticeable.” HIA PORTSMOUTH
“B. wanted to “pay bills and be like a normal person” and she is now doing just that. She’s faced her fears and with support, she has taken control of her finances. She works part time and makes sure that her bills are paid.” HIA NORWICH
“D. was very upset about some neighbour complaints as he felt them unjustified. However, he went to apologise anyway. They now have friendly conversations over the garden fence. More recently the neighbour was apparently drunk and shouting at D., who kept his cool and asked him to calm down. He came round the next day to apologise, which D. accepted and invited him in!” READING TEAM
“Yesterday I had the great privilege of moving one of our tenants into his own flat. He had come to us from rehab and was formerly homeless, but on Sunday celebrated 3 years clean and sober.” HIA NOTTINGHAM
@hopeintoaction
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S P O N S O R E D A DV E R TI S E M E NT
“Why am I investing in the rich when I could be lending to the poor?” A new Hope into Action investor (after reading ‘A House Built on Love’ by Ed Walker)
At the time of writing:
£165k would
purchase a house for a location ready to go with a partner church
£20k would
complete the investment needed for the first house of a new franchise location (multiple investors)
£140k would
partner with an existing investor to purchase a house for a new franchise location
£200k-£300k
could purchase a house for one of the franchise locations that have passed our assessment and are preparing for their first house.
If you would like to know more about investing in a property, please email info@hopeintoaction.org.uk with the subject ‘Property Investment’ or use the enquiry form on our website www.hopeintoaction.org.uk/contact THE SMALL PRINT • Hope into Action is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and we are not able to offer financial advice. • Your capital may be at risk and property investments can go down as well as up, there are no guarantees. • You will be responsible for declaring any income received from UK property to HMRC for tax purposes. • Hope into Action pay a maximum of 2% financial return, but immeasurable social return!
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www.hopeintoaction.org.uk
How I joined the team at Hope into Action!
Priscilla Agyei myself gripped by the work and dedication of the HiA staff. I made a last minute decision Later on in the day, I was in the main to attend the Hope into Action auditorium as it was being set up for conference in 2023. I was a new the tenants’ awards ceremony. A man mum and had my hands full, but began talking to me all about the work I knew the keynote speaker, Les of HiA. He was very knowledgeable and Isaac, and I wanted to find out also suggested that I reach out to the more about Hope into Action. organisation to see if there was anything I As I sat through a talk by the new CEO could get involved in. of the charity, Jon Kuhrt, I found myself I asked him what role he played at HiA. understanding more of what lay beneath He replied, “Oh, I started it back in 2010…” the surface of homelessness. And as I went To my amazement I was talking to Ed to seminars and heard different speakers, Walker! He had taken time to come over I found myself becoming more and more and speak to us. For me, this encapsulated enthused. I what HiA was about, wanted to do a servant heart and something to help such humility. Hope into Action is people who had I could see myself not just a Christian been neglected by being a part of the charity by name, society. team. As a result, I As I paced put in my application it’s a Christian around in the for the post. Two charity by its corridor with my months later I joined giving heart. then 6-monththe team! old baby trying It’s been a great 6 to settle her, a months since. Hope HiA staff member started to talk to me. into Action is not just a Christian charity by She suggested that I check out a specific name, it’s a Christian charity by its giving vacancy that was being advertised within heart. And this is fuelled and orchestrated the charity and see if it would be of interest incredibly by the Spirit of God. to me. If you want to experience an organisation Initially, I was slightly apprehensive about and group of people who will inspire you, applying for the job and moving into a new then make sure you come along to our sector, after just becoming a new mum. Annual Conference! You never know where However, as the day progressed, I found it might lead! @hopeintoaction
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Hope into Action’s Annual Conference
7th March 2024 | Kingsgate Church, Peterborough
We believe the Church can do amazing work to transform people’s lives! Our Annual Conference is for anyone who believes that the Christian faith can make a lasting difference to homelessness, addiction and poverty. It will inspire and equip you to empower transformation in your community. It is for church leaders, community activists, investors, volunteers, housing and social care professionals and you; anyone who is interested in how the Christian faith changes lives.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Natalie Williams CEO of Jubilee+ and co-author of Invisible Divides and The Myth of the Undeserving Poor
HOPE ACTION into
And we have a wide range of inspiring seminars, plus our Tenant Awards and much more...
To book a ticket… visit www.hopeintoaction.org.uk/conference-2024 or scan the code
HO AC
into
HO HOPE ACTION AC
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
Enabling churches to house
the homeless