Sheffield helps mark first year of progress for Homewards project

The Homewards programme led by HRH the Prince of Wales and The Royal Foundation to demonstrate that together it is possible to end homelessness is today marking a year of progress.

Sheffield is represented alongside its fellow five flagship locations at a special event in Lambeth, London, to mark the anniversary today (Thursday 11 July).

Over the past year, Homewards has been working with Sheffield, Aberdeen Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, Lambeth, Newport and Northern Ireland to form coalitions which will drive the project forward locally on a trajectory to end homelessness.

Each Homewards flagship location will deliver its own innovative housing project, designed to meet local needs and test new ways to unlock homes at scale.

In its first year, Homewards has built the foundations for success across those locations by bringing together six Coalitions, featuring hundreds of individuals and organisations from the public, private and third sectors.

In Sheffield, homelessness has been an increasing issue in recent years. Homewards Sheffield intends to explore how to prevent young people and families from experiencing homelessness and drive greater access to housing with grassroots community groups at the heart of that work.

Sheffield City Council has played a big part locally alongside 63 organisations and individuals as part of that Homewards coalition, which has already begun ensuring individuals with lived experience of homelessness are embedded in every part of the programme.

The local project has been working with landlords to unlock an initial 33 three and four-bedroom properties for families on the brink of or experiencing homelessness in Sheffield to use.

In March this year (2024), Sheffield hosted HRH The Prince of Wales, who attended a roundtable event and met with partner organisations, Sheffield City Council representatives, community groups and Sheffield residents who had themselves experienced homelessness at some time in their life.

Cllr Douglas Johnson, Chair of the Sheffield City Council Housing Committee, said:

“Ending homelessness in Sheffield is a real ambition for us as a Council. Nationally, we know homelessness is still a huge problem. Here in Sheffield, we want to see the issue brought to an end.

“Working with Homewards has so far allowed both us and all partners involved in this work to think differently, critically and to look at how we can act to end homelessness.

“We look forward to continuing that in Homewards’ second year, and achieving more for those vulnerable members of our society who need that extra support.”

For more information on Homewards’ work over the past year, as well as looking ahead to what is coming up through their work with Sheffield and the other five flagship locations, head to Homewards' news hub.