Latest news with #sofasurfing
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Homelessness 'not just men with dogs in doorways'
A Guernsey charity is challenging people's preconceptions of homelessness, after a rough sleeper's story brought the issue to islanders' attention. At Home in Guernsey was set up last year to help people facing homelessness on the island. Charlie Cox, CEO, said: "Historically [charities] would put up a picture of a single gentleman, often with a dog and a sleeping bag on the street." However Ms Cox said she was "aware of families with their children" sofa surfing, as well as people sleeping in their cars, adding "just because when we walk through St. Peter Port we're not stumbling across sleeping bags" it did not mean hidden homelessness was not impacting the island. Ms Cox said 29-year-old Tian, who had slept at the Bathing Pools and in a tent, was "not going to be the only" person sleeping rough and there would "be other people in the future", as long as the island's housing crisis continued. Deputy Steve Williams, president of Housing, previously told the BBC he recognised the island had a "hidden homelessness" problem and needed to "do something about it". 'Dignity and respect' Ms Cox said more than 25 new people facing or experiencing homelessness had contacted the charity to ask for help during June alone. She said "everyone wants dignity and deserves respect in the place that they want to call home". However, even in the "most welcoming" situation, sofa surfers were "still [in] someone else's house" and it was "their routine you're fitting in to". "It's not a very good situation to be in," she added. Ms Cox said there was some emergency housing on the island, such as St. Julian's House, but it was often full. She said the charity was working with Housing to co-produce a Homelessness Delivery and Implementation Plan, so there was a consistent "pathway" for people to avoid or get out of homelessness. "It's not an overnight fix - what we want to see is investment in lots of different areas," she said. She said it was "really great in the short time" the charity had existed, that it had "made waves" and helped create positive steps forward. Spare rooms Ms Cox said she was also keen to encourage people to take advantage of a £10,000 tax break for people renting out spare rooms to lodgers. She said At Home in Guernsey could help by vetting both the lodger and the home owner if they wanted to rent out spare rooms. "It just adds a bit of security", she said, "if people are sitting at home with a spare bedroom thinking: 'I would like to rent it out, but what if this goes wrong?'." People with spare rooms could take money or a non-financial exchange, such as company, "a bit of care [or] help with the garden," she said. More news stories for Guernsey Listen to the latest news for Guernsey Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to More on this story 'Sleeping at bathing pools was my lowest night' Subsidies fuelling high rents, minister says Matching scheme 'could help islanders find homes' Related internet links At Home in Guernsey
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Homelessness 'not just men with dogs in doorways', says charity
A Guernsey charity is challenging people's preconceptions of homelessness, after a rough sleeper's story brought the issue to islanders' Home in Guernsey was set up last year to help people facing homelessness on the Cox, CEO, said: "Historically [charities] would put up a picture of a single gentleman, often with a dog and a sleeping bag on the street."However Ms Cox said she was "aware of families with their children" sofa surfing, as well as people sleeping in their cars, adding "just because when we walk through St. Peter Port we're not stumbling across sleeping bags" it did not mean hidden homelessness was not impacting the island. Ms Cox said 29-year-old Tian, who had slept at the Bathing Pools and in a tent, was "not going to be the only" person sleeping rough and there would "be other people in the future", as long as the island's housing crisis Steve Williams, president of Housing, previously told the BBC he recognised the island had a "hidden homelessness" problem and needed to "do something about it". 'Dignity and respect' Ms Cox said more than 25 new people facing or experiencing homelessness had contacted the charity to ask for help during June said "everyone wants dignity and deserves respect in the place that they want to call home".However, even in the "most welcoming" situation, sofa surfers were "still [in] someone else's house" and it was "their routine you're fitting in to"."It's not a very good situation to be in," she added. Ms Cox said there was some emergency housing on the island, such as St. Julian's House, but it was often said the charity was working with Housing to co-produce a Homelessness Delivery and Implementation Plan, so there was a consistent "pathway" for people to avoid or get out of homelessness."It's not an overnight fix - what we want to see is investment in lots of different areas," she said it was "really great in the short time" the charity had existed, that it had "made waves" and helped create positive steps forward. Spare rooms Ms Cox said she was also keen to encourage people to take advantage of a £10,000 tax break for people renting out spare rooms to said At Home in Guernsey could help by vetting both the lodger and the home owner if they wanted to rent out spare rooms."It just adds a bit of security", she said, "if people are sitting at home with a spare bedroom thinking: 'I would like to rent it out, but what if this goes wrong?'."People with spare rooms could take money or a non-financial exchange, such as company, "a bit of care [or] help with the garden," she said.
