Labelling the homeless – is there an elephant in the room?
When is someone no longer homeless? When do you stop referring to homeless people and starting thinking of them simply as people? These are some of the questions raised for me by a long-term research study which followed the futures of over 260 formerly homeless people. I recently attended the launch of Rebuilding Lives: Longer-Term…
Read MoreKeeping families together
It is often said that the Englishman’s house is his castle. However not everyone is lucky enough to have a stable home. What do you do and where do you live for example if you are a young mother with a couple of children, are caught up in the wrong crowd, and have been charged…
Read MoreSilence vs words – talking about difficult issues…
Let’s talk about international conflicts, terminal illness and bereavement. At this point we may already be lost for words. What do we say & how to respond?
Read MoreRough Justice: social policies creating homelessness
The origins of the word ‘Democracy’ stem from the Ancient Greek words dēmos meaning ‘the people’ and kratia – ‘power, rule’. So it stands to reason that government policy should be designed in a way that values and aids these very ‘people’. Whilst we should live in a society where all people matter, where everyone is treated…
Read MoreJulie tells all about volunteering at Commonweal
Julie tells us about her experience of working as a volunteer with Commonweal Housing. Can you tell me a little about your role as Volunteer? I get involved in a variety of things, from office administration, filing and answering phone calls to liaising with councils about our properties e.g. to sort out things like service…
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