Take action, with local and international events.
It isn't enough to just change attitudes towards the homeless. Together we must take action to include them in the community, to help make their voices heard and to improve living standards.
The National Coffee Break.
Take a few hours to invite a homeless person in your area to a cup of coffee and a chat. Inspired by Starbucks' US Campaign 'Pay It Forward', we have created The National Coffee Break to encourage members of the public to do more than trawl scroll social media on their break. Over the course of the day, we aim to provide a new perception of the homeless as the public use their well-earned coffee break to get to know someone they may never had spoken to before. |
Old phone, new voice.
New phones, we all want one. But what happens to our old ones? Do we scrap them? Do we keep them in a drawer to let them rattle about? Why not give them to those who need them? Donate your old phone to a worthwhile campaign, this campaign seeks to give those without a home a mobile phone to allow them to be active in society. By donating your phone to the homeless, we will ensure it has a sim card with free internet (thanks to our partners), so that those without a home can voice their concerns, and feel connected to the world. Let’s give homelessness a voice, donate a phone. |
Be heard online locally.
Working with libraries and universities we have been able to set up a number of days with free public access to tutorials on computer use. You can help by coming down and helping someone to become familiar with online social media, IT skills and even help them apply for jobs. The facilities are also available for those who come down if they want to join in the campaign online or support charities. You can even come down just to chat while you use social media yourself! |
Take action, in your everyday lives.
Perhaps you dont have a whole day to give, even a few minutes can help. Normal campaigns often ask you for the big things, but we understand that the little things add up!
"It’s great when people stop and say hello, it’s nice to feel part of the community and feel that people actually care." -Bryan Rowe |
Simply talking.
When looking at our adverts its easy to see that the homeless are just like me and you. Except they need our help to get through a difficult time. This does not just have to be help in the form of tangible goods. Support can be given through a smile. Bryan Rowe and others appreciate your time and would love to stop for a conversation to help them get through the day. You could even tell the homeless in your community about our events, or another you've found to encourage them to make a change. Talking to others and raising the issue of awareness in your own social circle can also make a huge difference. Let people know about events, charity and your ideas. |
Nearly 100 people a week turn to the Big Issue for an opportunity to help themselves at a time of utter personal crisis." - The Big Issue |
Charity and donation.
Charity can play a huge role in changing wider issues that are often difficult to tackle alone. Helping these groups through small one-off, big or regular donation, is quick to do and is put to great use. What we have found in our project work we would like to specifically recommend "The Big Issue" who help the homeless start up jobs selling magazines and get them engaging in the community. There are many great charities out there, but we recommend doing some research before committing to donation. |