Terug

Consilium

VisionEveryone has a right to a place they can call home.

“We are not only talking about unemployed families or people with complex social issues. 50% of people experiencing homelessness; many families have work but lost their homes because of increasing rents. Contrary to widespread beliefs only 25% are migrants.

James points out different reasons. There is an inadequate supply of affordable housing. There was a housing crisis and an economic crisis in 2008. There is population growth, but a lot of landlords sell or refurbish their houses to get around rent-rise restrictions. The cost of building goes up and there is not enough redevelopment. The rising rent prices and the lack of social housing give no options for families with sometimes two or three children except to live in a hotel or temporary/emergency accommodation. At designated ‘hotels’ rooms have been stripped bare, they must enter through the service doors and have restricted access to the shared kitchen and no access to the dining facilities, if they exist. Consequently, they live on takeaways and unhealthy food with growing children which can cause physical and emotional developmental harm.

,, It is clear that this way of living creates social damage if four or five people have to live a single hotel room. It is proven scientifically that children – who spend more than six months in temporary accommodation - suffer lifelong psychological damage“, says James.

James is currently consulting partner for fundraising for Focus Ireland’s Partnerships & Philanthropy team. The solutions they are working on are prevention on one hand, and rapid rehousing solutions on the other. The aim is to help families with complex needs to minimize harm, especially to children. To create social justice and human dignity for the homeless. Prevention includes education and there are 90 advisory centres across Ireland, as well as legal advice on how best to engage and work with the banks and landlords. In 2021, 14000 people received advice and help from the services of Focus Ireland.

The five-year objective for Focus Ireland is to prevent 3,000 families from becoming homeless in the first place, take 5,000 people out of homelessness permanently, and to build 1,100 new houses to grow the stock of dedicated affordable housing.

In this process of fundraising for every €0.89 cent goes to the frontline services, 11 cents goes to administration. Donors to Focus Ireland are corporate businesses, trusts and foundations, and private individuals through donations bequests and legacies.

,, It is important that the donor sees the impact being delivered as a consequence of their giving. They want to see things getting better”, says James. ,,And the impact must be measurable.”

Focus Ireland must raise an additional €30 million over the next 5 years to implement the programs to prevent more families from becoming homeless, support those experiencing homelessness and minimize the harm caused during homelessness.