Community Foundation for Northern Ireland Celebrates the Impact of Housing and Homelessness programme 

24 Sep 2024

The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has today celebrated the delivery of its Community Solutions to Housing & Homelessness programme, funded by the OAK Foundation.

The programme was centred around a series of priority challenges including rented housing, mental health, complex needs, stigma, hostel and emergency accommodation, gaps in agency collaboration, domestic violence, homelessness affecting young people, female homelessness, relationship breakdown and LGBTQIA+.

There were two stages to the programme; –

1- Innovation process: Project teams participated in a creative problem-solving process to develop their ideas.
Seed Fund process: Project ideas that had been developed as part of the innovation process could apply for Seed Funding of between £15,000 -£25,000 to test or further develop their idea.
2- The programme commenced in 2021 and has supported 15 projects with an investment of £360k addressing a wide range of issues such as violence against women and girls, refugee and asylum seekers, mental health and complex needs, early intervention & emergency accommodation.

Speaking at the event, Director of Programmes, Dawn Shackels said: “The voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector plays a crucial role in addressing housing and homelessness by fostering innovative solutions tailored to local needs. By leveraging their unique position, these organisations often identify gaps in services and advocate for marginalised communities. They engage directly with communities, ensuring that the voices of those affected by housing issues are heard. Through their commitment to social justice and community empowerment, the VCSE sector is instrumental in driving systemic change and improving housing outcomes for vulnerable people and families.”

“On behalf of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, I would like to congratulate all of the organisations funded under this programme, who, without exception, demonstrated exceptional commitment. Their commitment has supported the development of new and innovative solutions to some of the most complex and pressing housing and homelessness issues in Northern Ireland. The Foundation would also like to express our gratitude to our Champions for Change, who brought the voice of lived experience to this programme and who supported its delivery. Their insights and expertise have been exemplary to everyone at the Foundation and across the projects.”