We exist to prevent and alleviate homelessness in Northern Ireland
We have been tackling homelessness since 1983.
Homeless Connect is a membership body for organisations working with people experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. Whether it’s through challenging policy or offering practical support, everything we do is driven by desire to see an end to homelessness. We support individuals, families and organisations – connecting people and services.
We work collaboratively to create a community of support, give a voice to the sector and deliver direct assistance to those in need.
What we do
Connecting Services
Our members provide a range of services, from supported temporary accommodation to floating support in the community, from street outreach to drop-in day centres. We connect members with each other and with statutory providers to better co-ordinate services for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Connecting People
To truly meet the needs of service users, we need to ensure that the voices of people with lived experiences are heard and listened to. Our ambition is to promote best practice through connecting the right people, including frontline staff, so that we learn, develop and improve together. In doing so, we can co-design better services that will make a real difference to people’s lives.
Membership
Homeless Connect’s membership is made up of a wide range of organisations working in the homelessness sector on the journey to end homelessness.
What brings us together is our commitment to ending homelessness.
Influencing Policy
We provide a voice for the sector and actively engage our members in informing policy, legislation, and practice. This includes articulating the existing and future needs of people who are homeless and informing and influencing the development and implementation of strategy.
Our Projects
FareShare NI
FareShare NI is our regional food sharing project that aims to help people in food poverty by distributing surplus food, donated by the food industry. The food we redistribute is nutritious and good to eat. It reaches charities and community projects across the Northern Ireland including hostels, school breakfast clubs, older people’s lunch clubs, and community cafes.
Home Starter Pack
Home Starter Packs help to ensure a good start, or restart, after some time without a permanent home. By providing packs of essential household goods to those moving into a new tenancy, we can go some way to making a house feel like a home, and help people keep their tenancy going – helping people on their journey.
Lived Experience
At Homeless Connect we believe in the importance of including people with lived experience of homelessness in shaping strategy and bringing about positive change to services. People with lived experience of homelessness have unique insights into what works to prevent and reduce homelessness. We want to make sure that voice is heard.
Northern Ireland Frontline Network
Homeless Connect is partnering with the Frontline Network to deliver the Northern Ireland Frontline Network. The network is aimed at people working or volunteering on the frontline of the homelessness sector, so that their views are heard and they are supported to deal with the challenges that they are facing.
Events
We support staff and volunteers through training, practical workshops, networking and shared learning opportunities.
News
Homeless Connect welcomes two new board members
Homeless Connect is pleased to announce that our board has recently added two...
Over 5,300 children living in temporary accommodation in the run-up to Christmas
Press Release Over 5,300 children living in temporary accommodation in the...
Over 58,000 people are homeless in NI: Homelessness Sector says its ‘Time for Change’
Homelessness Awareness Week will shed light on the deepening homelessness...
Change: to make different
Change Most people dislike change, as humans we prefer the known to the...
Homelessness Awareness Week 2024
What is Homelessness Awareness Week? Homelessness Awareness Week (HAW) is a...
Leading homelessness charity calls for sustained funding to end the crisis locally on World Homeless Day
Leading homelessness charity calls for sustained funding to end the crisis...
APG on Homelessness hears from the CEO of the Housing Executive
On 24 September, Grainia Long, the Chief Executive of the Housing Executive,...
Homeless Connect warmly welcomes extension of Blue Light Card to homelessness sector staff
Blue Light Card, the nation’s leading discount provider for the emergency...
Draft Programme for Government includes housing as a key priority
On Thursday 5 September, the Northern Ireland Executive agreed a draft...
A Visit to MACS Housing Support Services and Floating Support Services, Downpatrick
A Visit to MACS Housing Support Services and Floating Support Services,...
Can you help us bring about change?
We want to work with people who care about those experiencing homelessness. If you think you could give of your time to help we have a wide range of opportunities.
