The Manchester Homelessness Charter action groups have now been running for over a year, with people with lived experience, frontline workers and partners coming together to co-produce solutions to common issues identified through the Charter.

Last week, Manchester Art Gallery hosted a workshop for the co-chairs of each action group to come together to share what is working well, and the challenges they face. The Booth Centre Art’s committee has many members with lived experience of homelessness, and they were  commissioned to come up with ideas to make the session more interactive, engaging and different.

Over the course of two weeks they brainstormed different arts based approaches and they led the workshop.

Pete got the ball rolling with the idea of unity being depicted through hands in a circle.  The design was progressed to incorporate a vision for the future, so the centre of the circle represented the goal and support needed to get there. So, that was the plan, here is how it looked in practice.

Danny and Pete started off with an introduction to the exercise.  Each hand represented what the action group has been up to and the progress the had achieved, the colour also represented something about the group.  then the centre circle was split into sections.

One group member commented that they were a bit intimidated about the meeting before coming along but were surprised and happy to see how informal it was and that there were activities involved.

The workshop involved small group discussions and space between sections to listen and think, all of which contributed to the detail and flow of information, for example the arts and heritage group want to share practice with the immigration group based on some of their small group discussions.

Here are some of the outputs from the event…

Homelessness prevention

So far

• We have changed how presentation at the town hall is done, including a new volunteer programme,  a housing options has been introduced and new information leaflets have been designed.
• Co-production can re-energise what we do with expert knowledge.
• The new sub-group focusing on prison leavers has great potential – including peer experience gets over some of the barriers we face. The focus is on changing the way we do things.  Our overall goal is around prevention.

Challenges and next steps

• Funding is a big problem for a range of statutory agencies.
• We need to tap into the right partnerships so we don’t duplicate work e.g. prison leavers.
• We need better connection with other actions groups e.g. on the out connecting with Big Change.
• We need to get connections with people inside prisons – now in contact with Styal and Forest Bank.

Big change

So far

• Big Change has helped over 400 people and raised over £110,000.
• We co-created a new Big Change video produced in partnership with Dinosaur media agency.
• More updates from Big Change here.

Challenges and next steps

• We need to continue to spread the word and get all the partners and charities involved in doing that.
• We need to continue to define and communicate what Big Change is for and and share it.
• We are looking at a model that can be used in Greater Manchester.
• We want outreach workers to actively use this on a regular basis.
• We want to know how people are getting on after receiving help from Big Change – we need more feedback and case studies that can be shared. We may be able to incorporate this into the system of application.

Migration and destitution

So far

• Positive feelings, a lot of love in the group!
• We have heard stories from people with lots of different experiences, some very moving and they help us to understand the desperate situation that some people are in.
• We focus on housing and immediate relief for people who are destitute, alongside longer term change.
• With the help of Mustard Tree he have a possible solution for people to store documents so they don’t get lost or damaged. University students are interested in helping with the design of the storage system.
• We are in the process of setting up a destitution fund, thinking how that might work.
• For future, we want to look at housing and free transport

Challenges and next steps

• We can’t do things to change government policy of ‘a hostile environment’, so we aim to engage citizens in what they can do to create change – bring willing organisations, citizens or business to provide spare rooms, activities etc.
• A major issue for all organisations involved is covering transport costs. Many activities and resources could be accessed in the community if people could get there for free.  We would like to tap in to Booth Centre and other schemes on ideas on this.
• When we get a destitution fund running, we want to share what it’s like to be an asylum seeker and homeless, and make links with the arts group to help tell and share stories.

Arts projects with hostels

So far

• We want to improve communication between groups in arts and services in city re exhibitions and planning.
• The partnership with the art gallery is working well, including a portrait exhibition which helped connect with the public.
• We would like a rolling chair to meetings and get better communications.

Challenges and next steps

• We want to link up with immigration group to share some of the free spaces etc we’ve got info on and share ideas.
• Some of the problems we have had relate to implementing our ideas into actions – we want advocates to take actions back to their organisations to help implement things.

Substandard accommodation (B&Bs)

So far

• We are grateful for engagement from all partners at meetings.
• People with lived experience have great ideas and we have people who can make change.  It is good to have all this around the table.
• One recent breakthrough has been in not demonising landlords and recognising their challenging role – we had a landlord forum, which is fantastic because we need to have them on board to see real change.
• Hope is in the short term we improve conditions in B&Bs, and also change the system politically.

Next steps

• We are doing well in getting people round the table but need more joined up working and involving more landlords.

Youth action initiative

So far

• We are new. Want to link young people in different groups with people with lived experience.
• In our first meeting we had people who were passionate and those with experience coming together.
• For our group it is not lived experience, but ‘living’ experience – we have become a support group for each other, e.g. helping out when people get eviction notices.
• We want to showcase talents while they are going through struggles.  We are joining with the university and performing at a festival organised by students.
• We are also going to the youth council in London.
• Our colour is purple, because there is an undertone of ‘will this actually make a difference’ we’ve felt let down.

Challenges and next steps

• It is difficult to keep momentum going when the system is against people and they are all dealing with current and urgent issues.
• A big challenge is it is very hard for teenagers to work when they are in a hostel.  The system is against them and setting them up to fail.
• We need money, sponsorship from business and we need guidance re communication.
• We want to share communication with other action groups, also we might like access to training as well.

Emergency accommodation

So far

• Winter night shelters are going ahead and there is a new hostel at Cheetham hill with 12 beds, and more being developed.
• For the next 12 months, we need more move on accommodation so people are not stuck in the system.
• We want more affordable accommodation because people can be homeless and working but still not afford anywhere.
• There should be a new homeless hub and 24 hr homeless hub .  Our aim is that in the future there is emergency accommodation for everyone, so no need to sleep on the streets.
• Our colour is Yellow – a ray of sunshine for people sleeping out

Challenges and next steps

• We need more move on accommodation.
• We are not getting information always when new groups set up e.g. night shelters. We want to go and visit them to assess standards and give advice.
• There are long waiting lists of people with high support needs.
• We could get magistrates involved as they are part of sentencing.

Mental health

So far

• Recently conducted peer led research with people who have experience, asked them what was broken and what they want.  Then a couple of weeks ago, we collected all the information together.
• Hopes for the future? For the group to stay together and grow and build a movement.
• We have a list of demands and requests, so we want that list to be ticked off over the next year.
• We are green because we are moving to something more positive.

Challenges and next steps

• A big challenge is being listened to – the group who have formed need to be listened to and start to influence change.  Traditionally we have not been listened to.
• In terms of support, we want to think about things that sustain that group, fun activities.
• Agencies that need to listen include the police. We learned that the police are asking for us to help with training so hope to be able to influence this.
• We also want to think of options within the system, for example, what can a person do if they are in crisis rather than call the police.
• We want key influencers and members of the partnership board to come to us.