The Chestertons Foundation supported the employment of a Project Worker in their Private Rented Sector (PRS) team. This team builds and maintains a portfolio of genuinely affordable homes across London for Passage clients by negotiating agreements with private landlords and openly discussing and addressing any stigma that might be associated with people who have been homeless.

The initiative also works closely with formerly homeless clients to get them into suitable private rented accommodation, assisting with the process from start to finish and continuing to offer support for up to a year after clients have moved in. Projects like this are key to guaranteeing a long-lasting impact and preventing people at risk from regressing to their previous circumstances.

Stephen was homeless in London during the Covid pandemic in July 2021, having already experienced homelessness only a few years before.

After a month of rough sleeping and unable to find the help he needed from London’s homelessness services, a passerby directed him to The Passage.

Stephen had been to The Passage’s Resource Centre in the past but was unaware they could offer him a long-term solution to staying off the streets. This was a turning point for Stephen, and he was quickly moved into temporary hotel accommodation and was assigned a key worker.

A short while later, Stephen’s key worker had found him a private rented room which provided him with long-term accommodation and a stable address which meant he could attend college.

Stephen’s story acts as stark reminder that London’s homeless often only need a small amount of support to access a happier and more stable future.