This year’s Homelessness Awareness Week 2025 (December 1st - 7th) theme is ‘See the Person’.
The Strangford MLA said: “Too often, homelessness is reduced to statistics, labels, or stereotypes. This year, we want to remind everyone that behind every figure and every headline is a person with hopes, struggles, and potential.
“As Chair of the All Party Group on Homelessness, I am hosting an event today to mark Homelessness Awareness Week 2025 and to launch a major piece of research completed by the Housing Executive on Housing First.
“The Housing First approach is one of the best evidence-based models from around the world for responding to chronic homelessness. The launch of this research, led by Fiona Boyle and co-authored with Imogen Blood and Nicholas Pleace, fits well with this year’s theme because the approach focuses on being person-centred, designing and delivering tailored support to suit the individual needs of the person experiencing homelessness.
“I would like to thank Nicola McCrudden and Mark Bailie of Homeless Connect, and the many organisations who work so hard on the ground to get as many people who are currently living on our streets into safe and suitable housing.
“Housing is already a key priority in the Programme for Government. We must work to ensure everyone in NI has a safe and suitable home, and I believe that homelessness can be resolved if Ministers work together and we see a cross-departmental commitment to tackling the issue.”
The Strangford MLA said: “Too often, homelessness is reduced to statistics, labels, or stereotypes. This year, we want to remind everyone that behind every figure and every headline is a person with hopes, struggles, and potential.
“As Chair of the All Party Group on Homelessness, I am hosting an event today to mark Homelessness Awareness Week 2025 and to launch a major piece of research completed by the Housing Executive on Housing First.
“The Housing First approach is one of the best evidence-based models from around the world for responding to chronic homelessness. The launch of this research, led by Fiona Boyle and co-authored with Imogen Blood and Nicholas Pleace, fits well with this year’s theme because the approach focuses on being person-centred, designing and delivering tailored support to suit the individual needs of the person experiencing homelessness.
“I would like to thank Nicola McCrudden and Mark Bailie of Homeless Connect, and the many organisations who work so hard on the ground to get as many people who are currently living on our streets into safe and suitable housing.
“Housing is already a key priority in the Programme for Government. We must work to ensure everyone in NI has a safe and suitable home, and I believe that homelessness can be resolved if Ministers work together and we see a cross-departmental commitment to tackling the issue.”