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Homelessness in Southampton
God’s HeartGod’s Vision
God’s Solution
Love Southampton Housing Group, 2014
This presentation has an accompanying sheet of notesIt is written for churches to use as part of their services.There are also suggested prayers for use corporately or individually.
See www.lovesouthampton.org.uk/housing
2God’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution
What comes to mind when you think of a homeless person?
• Sat in a sleeping bag?• Begging for money?• Looking downcast?
3God’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution
Housing problem – like an iceberg
•On the streets we see only the tip of the problem•There are 17,500 households in Southampton who
need better accommodation.•Many people are affected by benefit cuts•not just people without
paid employment
4God’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution
Anonymous Example (please read out)• A single dad aged 34, had 3 children and was living in a private rented 2 bedroom
flat. He couldn’t manage work and childcare. His mental health deteriorated. The children had to go and live with their grandparents. • Now he couldn’t afford the two-bedroom flat. He no longer has the children
living with him and he is under 35, so he is only eligible to claim Local Housing Allowance for a single room. The current rate is £64.62 a week. • He found a room in a shared house and moved in. • The landlord decided to sell the house and he had to move out. The landlord of
the shared house had not asked him for a deposit, so when he had to move out he did not have any money to come from his old landlord to use as a deposit. • He is now sofa-surfing between family and friends. His mental health has
continued to suffer. In order for his mental health to improve he feels he needs to live on his own in a studio or one bedroom flat• He has been looking daily for a studio flat or one bedroom flat and can not find
anything for less than £495 a month. Since he is only eligible for single room rate local housing allowance he faces a shortfall of at least £250 a month. Too much. • This is putting pressure on his mental health and on his relationships with the
people he is staying with. He is very worried he will become street homeless.
God’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution 5
Imagine a river…
•…flowing through our city•The “river of homelessness”
6God’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution
People in the river
•Did they fall, or jump or were they pushed?
7God’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution
Surviving in the river
•Some people are swimming with the current, some are fighting it and some are drowning.
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Help
•We throw our ropes into the water and help people to a place of safety
•We are asking whythey were in theriver to begin with
•We go upstreamand look!
9God’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution
God’s heart
• compassion – don’t be indifferent•humility – it could be me• justice – make it fair
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Response 1
God’s vision
• church to respond, stand in the gap• faith - big problem, but pray and act in faith
•how to stop the cycle of falling in “the river”
11God’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution
Response 2
God’s solution(s)
Please pray for Housing Group and others trying to find solutions - it’s complex, it needs collaboration.
•prayer (see suggested prayers)•befriending – to combat loneliness and isolation•support the Churches Rent Deposit Scheme•more and better landlords•spare rooms – lodgers and young people•engage with relevant organisations to work together – SCC, Housing Agencies, Planners…
12God’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution
Resp
ons
e 3
For more details
Housing Awareness and Prayer Evening•info•ways to respond•prayer
Tuesday 25 March 20147.30pm
Central Baptist ChurchDevonshire Road
Polygon SO15 2GYGod’s heart – God’s vision – God’s solution 13
Thank youmore info + sign up for newsletters at www.lovesouthampton.org.uk
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