Since the launch of Street Support, our team has been working hard behind the scene to make sure all support services in Edinburgh are well represented on our website and app. We are supported by a team of volunteers, as well as the staff at Simon Community Scotland and the University of Edinburgh to make sure the day-to-day work at Street Support Edinburgh runs like a well-oiled machine! In celebration of adding our 50th organisation on Street Support Edinburgh, we are shining a light on our Edinburgh team, to hear directly from some of the people who have helped us make things happen.
Stefani Tirkova
Volunteer
A little bit about myself…
I’m an undergraduate student at the University of Edinburgh. I’m pursuing a degree in Informatics, which means I spent a lot of time in front of the computer. I saw this project as a great opportunity to use some of these hours to do something useful for the community.
My average day on Street Support looks like this…
On the days when I volunteer, I like to first start by researching the organisation I’m going to write about. I usually start by looking through their website and social media channels, getting an idea of what information is available and what kind of services are being offered. Once I’m satisfied with my background understanding, I start entering the information into the Street Support platform. This involves entering key details on services into different fields and categories on the database. Sometimes they might take between half an hour to over an hour, depending on how much detail they provide that will be useful to the public. As with everything else, this process becomes much easier and faster the more you do it.
For me, Street Support means…
It has been so interesting to find out about all these organisations and the services they offer, some of which I wouldn’t have thought even existed. I learned so much about the effort that local communities and charities put in to help people in need. This makes me more hopeful that maybe one day, not too far in the future, everyone will have a home, regardless of their circumstances, and will be given an equal opportunity. Volunteering at Street Support has given me the chance to make my small contribution to this great cause.
Ricardo Belo
Volunteer
A little bit about myself…
I’m Ricardo, born and raised in Portugal and I have resided in Scotland for around9 Years.
I’m currently working as a freelancer for my project and taking a Data Analytics course with Google. All this with 3 beautiful daughters who I love spending time with.
Homelessness was something in the back of my mind when I noticed how difficult it must be to rough sleep in the extreme Scottish weather and how broad of a spectrum it is of people who could experience or be affected by homeslessness. I started looking for charities that could help this social issue and found Simon Community Scotland.
My average day on Street Support looks like this…
At the moment I’m just making data entry volunteering so it’s not the most diverse day! What I like about this is that I gain knowledge on the different charities and non-profits to support vulnerable people.
For me, Street Support means…
It helped me to know more about social issues in the country that I love and ways to try and make a difference in someone’s life. One way or another, it’s nice to know that I’m helping those who need it.
Maggie Murphy
Digital Strategy Lead, Simon Community Scotland
A little bit about myself…
I have been at Simon Community Scotland for nearly two years now, and as the Digital Strategy Lead, I look after our digital projects and assets to make sure we are creating meaningful impact for the people we support. I am passionate about inclusion and equity, and I have always been curious about how technology can play a role in enabling them.
My average day on Street Support looks like this…
I work closely with Kieran to identify any gaps in the information we provide on Street Support, and check in with our own team at Streetwork to make sure the details we provide are relevant. I also support our lovely volunteers to make sure they have all the tools, training, and help they need to keep Street Support up to date!
For me, Street Support means…
Street Support is such a fantastic opportunity to not only support people digitally, but also to bring all of our partners and our expertise and skills together to tackle homelessness! I love working with our volunteers and our partners, and it’s been fascinating learning all the different types of support and services available for people experiencing homelessness in Edinburgh.
Kieran Turner
Research Assistant, University of Edinburgh
A little bit about myself…
I am a researcher in public health at The University of Edinburgh, and I have evaluated the health impacts of a variety of public policies. I’ve always had a great interest in social justice and reducing homelessness, so when the opportunity came up to work on the Street Support Edinburgh project, I jumped at the chance!
My average day on Street Support looks like this…
My involvement in Street Support Edinburgh is through the Centre for Homeless and Inclusion Health at The University of Edinburgh who part-funded and led the introduction of Edinburgh into the Street Support Network along with Simon Community Scotland. Most of my time so far has been spent engaging with, and promoting Street Support Edinburgh to organisations and stakeholders providing homeless prevention and alleviation services, and facilitating the inclusion of their services on to Street Support Edinburgh. We will shortly begin evaluating the rollout of Street Support Edinburgh, and I will be holding short interviews with Edinburgh-based organisations on Street Support to explore their views of what it’s like to be part of the Street Support Network.
For me, Street Support means…
Street Support Network offers such a valuable resource collating useful and digestible information for those looking for help finding a home. I love how it brings together colleagues working towards reducing homelessness, but also how it offers a link between organisations and service providers, and members of the public who may be wondering how best to help! For me personally, it’s been really inspiring to engage with so many people in Edinburgh doing wonderful work to reduce homelessness in Edinburgh.
Help us reach 100 by adding your organisation and services to Street Support! To find out how you can promote your services with us or would like more information about Street Support, please get in touch via edinburgh@streetsupport.net. We are also always on the lookout for volunteers like Stefani and Ricardo, to help us maintain Street Support. If you are interested in supporting us by volunteering, please get in touch with the volunteering team at Simon Community Scotland, via volunteering@simonscotland.org.