Project’s bid to end city homelessness launched
AN initiative set to help 50 homeless people in Leicester has been launched.
The aim of the project is to prevent anyone having to sleep rough on the city’s streets.
Leicester City Council and Beam, an online fund-raising platform and social enterprise, are working together to help homeless people and council tenants at risk of homelessness, to find work and stable accommodation.
Through Beam’s platform, residents can read the personal stories of people in need, and donate towards the cost of items that can be a financial obstacle to starting work or moving into a new home, such as job training, childcare, a laptop, travel costs or rental deposits.
Each person’s page includes an itemised budget breakdown of how much they need to raise. Members of the public can donate as little as £1, and leave a message of support.
The pilot scheme will initially benefit 50 council tenants, rough sleepers and those in temporary accommodation.
Residents are referred to the scheme by the authority’s housing workers, and each person is assigned a caseworker from Beam, who supraised
ports them on their journey into work and housing.
Councillor Elly Cutkelvin, assistant mayor for housing, said: “Noone should have to experience homelessness. We’re determined to help anyone who finds themselves in this position gain access to a
decent home and a brighter future. We were chosen by Beam for this partnership – their first major city launch outside London – because of our innovative approaches to tackling homelessness.
“Working with organisations like Beam means we can help people to access individual, tailored support to start a job-seeking journey.”
Beam launched in London in 2017, and has since gone on to support more than 750 homeless people across the UK into jobs and homes. As well as providing funding support, Beam has built tools to aid jobseekers with CV writing, job interview preparation and online job applications.
It then matches residents with employers it has partnerships with. Some of the most popular career paths for Beam’s beneficiaries include security, support work, care, warehouse and logistics work, construction and hospitality.
Single mother Jessica was at risk of homelessness in Leicester and is being supported by the council and Beam. The mum-of-three fell into difficulties after losing her job and the subsequent breakdown of her relationship.
With Beam’s support, Jessica £2,134 from 55 members of the public to become a carer. The funds went towards childcare and travel costs, work attire, a smartphone, safeguarding training and a DBS check. She recently started work as a carer at Bupa.
Jessica, 27, said: “I cannot thank the Beam community enough. It is a very new feeling to me as I’ve never experienced people genuinely wanting to help me with my goals.
“I want to be a working mother, able to provide more for my children and give them a better life and the fact that people are supporting me in this is amazing.”
Council tenants interested in a referral to Beam can contact their income management officer or rent management adviser.
More information on the city council’s services for people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness can be found at: