Safe and secure housing is often the starting point for lasting recovery, but no single organisation can tackle homelessness alone, says Tara Moore, national housing development manager at The Forward Trust.
Writing following a Homeless Link leadership event, she highlights the importance of collaboration between local authorities, housing providers, healthcare services and voluntary organisations. These partnerships can help people find not simply somewhere to stay, but a stable home from which they can begin rebuilding their lives.
The scale of the challenge remains considerable. The Forward Trust’s 2024/25 annual review found that one in four community clients were homeless or insecurely housed when assessed, rising to nearly one in two prison clients. During the year, the charity supported 188 people into suitable housing programmes.
Moore also stresses the importance of investing in the homelessness workforce. Forward supports Homeless Link’s National Homelessness Skills Framework, while its frontline housing workers have completed, or are undertaking, accredited homelessness qualifications alongside personalised development pathways.
Sharing knowledge, learning from other organisations and investing in the people delivering services all contribute to better outcomes, she says. Strong partnerships ultimately create stronger services for people experiencing homelessness.
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