Co-production is currently a buzzword in the homelessness sector. But we know its so much more than that. At Oasis Community Housing, we have had a dedicated Co-production Lead since the end of 2022. Here, Co-Production Worker Cal Distin, explains more.

What is co-production?

Co-production is acknowledging that those who we support are best placed to see anything that needs to change in our services. It’s working together with those we support to help review, design and deliver services.

Services that are co-produced are more likely to be successful in achieving the services’ aim, as if your service is more closely matched to what the people using them actually need then more can be achieved.

It’s not just about getting their feedback and implementing change, it’s much deeper than that – it’s a commitment towards creating change with those people we support.

How do we deliver and implement co-production work as a homelessness charity?

Working with the people we support is an essential part of our approach to improving our services in tackling homelessness as a Christian homelessness charity.

We support the people who access or have accessed our services to make their voice heard, ensuring they have a platform from which they can contribute to the direction of the charity. Central to our co-production offering as a Christian homelessness charity is our Experts by Experience (EBE) group who meet bi-weekly.

In recent months our EBE group have co-designed training for staff; been involved in recruitment, including sitting on interview panels; supported with service design; and more. Many of these simply wouldn’t have been possible without them.

Co-production is also about building confidence, as well as an inclusive, positive atmosphere where people can thrive and drive change. For some people this involves me spending time with them and their support worker, to build confidence and skills ahead of them joining the EBE group someday. At the EBE group itself we do this by organising sessions that spark discussion, creativity, and most importantly fun.

Last summer the EBE group celebrated their combined efforts in creating an incredible array of art pieces centred around themes of home, community and the cost of living during the ‘ta da day’ event at our Basis Gateshead homeless drop-in centre.

Why is co-production important?

As a Christian homelessness charity, I believe it’s useful to link what we do back to the Bible.

In 1 Corinthians 12:15-26 the author makes an analogy using the body and points to the value of each individual part. 1 Corinthians is the first of two books in the Bible which were written originally as letters to a church in Corinth, by the apostle Paul.

Using the body as an analogy, Paul raises the question ‘Where would we be if we only had one body part?’ If we only had eyes, then we would have no hearing; if we only had ears then we would have no sight. All of the different parts of the body have a unique and individual role to play, and all are as important as the others.

The illustration of a fully functioning body offers us an insight into the importance of genuine co-production. Genuine co-production is about enabling those we support to actually drive the change for themselves, and recognising that everyone involved in a service from staff to beneficiary has a valuable role to play.

Find out more about our work and how your donations bring hope to people experiencing homelessness here >

John was stabbed whilst sleeping rough on a park bench.

A spiral of trauma, addiction, and poor mental health had driven him into a pit of homelessness.

With no hope, no one he felt he could trust, and the feeling of being a burden, John eventually found the support he needed.

Struggles with addiction and mental health

John moved to the UK from Eastern Europe when he was just 11 years old. He attended secondary school in the UK and then started working in restaurants, but alcohol addiction and mental health problems resulted in him becoming homeless.

Before the UK left the EU, John was in supported housing. Struggling with this accommodation and drinking heavily, he began to have frequent suicidal feelings; issues which prevented him from applying to the EU settlement scheme. His support worker tried to get him to make his application, but his constant struggle with addiction and poor mental health became too much for John and he eventually left his accommodation and began sleeping rough.

After this John stopped engaging with our service, as he was embarrassed about how he had left the property and felt that there was no hope. He was not eligible for benefits or housing assistance without his settled status, despite having lived in the UK for 15 years. Through various professionals, including the council and the police, we continued to try and keep in touch with John, letting him know that he was welcome to return to our services at any time. But we didn’t hear from him.

A brutal attack

After almost a year of trying to reach out to John, he was stabbed whilst sleeping on a bench in the town centre. After he had the stab wounds in his neck treated at the hospital the police dropped him off at our Basis Gateshead drop-in.

Since his brutal attack, he had been afraid to sleep at night and instead walked around all night, trying to sleep when he could during the day.

A transformation

He asked if he could have a shower and our staff provided him with a change of clothes. John came out of the bathroom “looking 10 years younger!” according to Sally, our Basis Gateshead Team Leader.

Our drop-in staff helped John make contact with the embassy about his status in the UK and we used money generously given by Muckle LLP to get John a passport; making his application to the EU settlement scheme easier. We also provided his travel expenses to get to the embassy and to buy some food for his journey.

John told us he was glad he had finally come to see us as the staff had smiled and were really happy to see him. He even sent the drop-in staff a thank you card.

John now volunteers in a kitchen and has been placed in our 58:7 emergency accommodation. A hard-worker, John hopes to find employment soon.

It’s because of the support he received at our Gateshead Basis drop-in that John found his path out of homelessness. It was because he found hope again, that he felt safe again.

Keen to support people like John? Make a donation here or find out more about how you can get involved with our work >>>

(Name changed for anonymity)

Seen someone experiencing homelessness lately, wanted to help someone rough sleeping, but not known what to do? StreetLink is a website, app and phone service enabling members of the public to connect people sleeping rough with local homelessness services that can support them – and this Winter marks its 10^th anniversary.

How does StreetLink work?

The details you provide are sent to local homelessness support services ie. the Local Authority or outreach service for the area in which you have seen the person. StreetLink does not alert or involve the police.

In Gateshead and South Tyneside, StreetLink alerts come to us – and the Local Authority housing team – and we’re usually out looking for the person you’ve told us about within a matter of hours.

Why use StreetLink?

Sally, who leads our Basis crisis services across Gateshead, explains: “There are a number of times we’ve found people sleeping rough, in need of help, but only thanks to a StreetLink alert that’s let us know someone’s last location.

“With temperatures still in single figures, please log onto StreetLink as soon as you see someone; don’t leave it too long.

“If we arrive and only find bedding or a shelter, we always leave a postcard saying ‘Sorry we missed you’ and it has the drop-in’s opening times and our contact details on it.

VIDEO: Hear Sally explain how to help get someone sleeping rough the support they need

“But a few months ago, we received a report of someone sleeping out in Gateshead. He was in a shop doorway outside of the town centre. This had been reported anonymously, by a member of the public, to StreetLink who relayed the information to us and the local council’s homeless team.

“The Basis team went out before the drop in opened to see if we could locate the person. They were seen outside one of the shops wrapped in a blanket and a member of the public was giving them some food and a coffee.

“We approached them and started chatting: they had returned to the area after moving around from hostel to hostel, never settling anywhere. A friend of theirs had told them about some old outbuildings, which were abandoned and they had been sleeping in there. They had not been in touch with anyone to support them, felt a bit overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start.

“We told them about our Basis drop-in and what support we could offer them. He was open to the idea of getting a place in supported housing, as he said he needed help with a lot of things like managing his money and accessing support such as a substance misuse service. We explained we could help with all of that.

“We invited him to the drop-in to get a coffee and to shower and wash his clothes. We also made sure we took his phone number and asked his permission to speak to the council on his behalf which he agreed to. We said goodbye and explained where Basis was if he wanted to pop along.

“When we got back to the office we spoke to the homeless team at the council. They agreed that they would ring him to do an assessment ASAP. A short while later they rang to say that following a telephone assessment they had found him an emergency placement and he would be moving into longer term supported housing as soon as a space became available. While he was in the emergency hostel, he was supported to register with a GP, referred to the substance misuse service and supported to deal with the issues he had been having with universal credit.

“Without that anonymous referral that was put into Streetlink, we wouldn’t have known about him and would not have been able to act as quickly to get him the help someone rough sleeping really needed.”

StreetLink is a free service and exists to support people over 18 years old that are sleeping rough in England or Wales. If you think the person you are concerned about is under 18, please instead notify the police on 999.

How to contact StreetLink

The more details you can share with StreetLink the better the chance the person can be found by the outreach teams e.g. location, the time of the day you’ve see the person and as many identifying details as possible (gender, age, name etc.)

To alert us, via StreetLink, to help someone sleeping rough please use:

Website: www.streetlink.org.uk

Mobile app: ‘StreetLink’ from Apple iTunes / Google Play store

Phone: 0300 500 0914 (NB. This number can get busy, please use the website or app where possible)

With 78 percent of young homeless people unable to afford a balanced meal this Winter, North East businesses have partnered with Oasis Community Housing to provide Christmas dinner for homeless drop-ins in Gateshead and Sunderland.

Increasing numbers of people

This past year, Oasis Community Housing’s drop-ins have helped men and women who are rough sleeping more than 4,600 times. With high costs of living already given as one of the main reasons that people cannot afford food, the charity fears things will only get worse as we head into Winter.

Carolyn Wood, Oasis Community Housing’s Director of Programmes, explains: “This year, we’ve seen increasing numbers of people coming through our doors for help. Tough economic times are pushing people to the brink and, for those already sleeping on the streets, our teams have been particularly concerned.

“People who come to our drop ins often refer to us as ‘family’ and coming together to share love and laughter – as well as opening doors to those in need – it’s what Christmas is all about. So, we’re hoping these festive few hours at our drop in, in addition to our usual services, will help spread Christmas cheer and create some special memories.”

A winning formula

Micky Horswill, who played on Sunderland A.F.C.’s winning side in the 1973 FA Cup, attended as a special guest at the Sunderland drop-in Christmas Dinner, after the Sunderland Former Players Association provided all of the turkeys and trimmings.

Generous support from Newcastle law firm Muckle LLP, Sunderland-based lawyers Richard Reed Solicitors, Gentoo Group, Simpson Group and Durham Foods, helped Oasis Community Housing lay on two-course Christmas dinner for its homeless drop-ins. The 60 guests, mostly rough sleepers or those in housing crisis, also received wrapped gifts including Greggs food vouchers and selection boxes.

Oasis Community Housing will be trying to give individuals and families in its supported housing projects, based across North East England and South London, Christmases to remember as well; with gifts and Christmas hampers, many kindly provided by the charity’s supporters, Cash for Kids and Feeding Families, and delivered by the team from Handelsbanken Gateshead Branch.

Find out more about our Christmas Appeal and other activities >>> 

Joe’s is a story of life and death.

Joe was homeless in Sunderland, sleeping in a tent. His journey nearly ended on the Wear bridge. 

It was a surprise to the team when Joe came into the homelessness drop in one day, absolutely beside himself. Tear-streaked, pacing the floor and asking staff, “Why is the world like this? Why do people betray you, when you show them kindness?”

Please give today to our Giving a Home appeal, to help Joe and the many like him >

The kindness of strangers

Joe had been sleeping in a tent in Sunderland. Making do and getting by. He had been evicted from his home when he complained about the condition and the safety of his flat. Standing up for himself cost him dearly.

He began coming to our Sunderland drop in for a cuppa and, of course, for a friendly face and ear. Always grateful for the warm drink and even warmer welcome after cold nights on the hard ground at the mercy of the weather. He’d also been at the mercy of the cruelty of careless strangers on more than one occasion. Suffering verbal abuse, theft and judgement.

Our drop in Project Leader, Dave, commented how Joe had always come in upbeat and “jolly”. But, on this one day, something had changed.

Once Joe managed to take a breath the story unfolded.

He had taken in another rough sleeper, into his meagre shelter. Cooked for him on his small BBQ. Opened his heart as much as his humble home.

In the morning Joe had overslept. He had no alarm to wake him. His housemate for the night had taken his phone. He’d also taken his wallet and even his bus pass.

Joe was unable to get to work that day. He was late. As his phone has been taken he’d had no way of letting his employers know that he couldn’t make it.

Work had been his place of solace and pride. Somewhere he wasn’t just ‘homeless’, but was one of the team.

Joe’s story nearly ended there

But thankfully it didn’t. He came to our drop in instead. Our drop in was a place he felt safe to come and share, to fall apart. We all need and deserve that. There he found the emotional and practical support he needed to keep going.

Joe is very proud to say he’s now doing really well. He’s housed. Still working. He’s got himself a bike, so he doesn’t have to rely on that bus pass anymore.

It’s because of our generous and considered donors that we have doors to open to Joe and the many like him.

 *Names have been changed to protect identity

Image generously provided by North East Photographer Nostalgia Kid

Lizzie was alone, homeless and afraid.

Sleeping on cold concrete floors in corners, in abandoned buildings and dark alleys. Her coat pulled up as a makeshift blanket, never quite long enough to cover her whole body no matter how much she curled up. Unwashed clothes bundled up into an inadequate pillow.

Donate today and help make a life-changing difference to women like Lizzie >

Made invisible by homelessness

Some nights she slept on strangers’ sofas. Many nights she slept on the sofas and floors of unfamiliar people in unfamiliar houses. Staying with men who made her feel afraid, not able to trust anyone, not able to lock the door- or having the door locked on her, unable to return to the same place twice.

Lizzie found herself shuffled between the streets and sofa-surfing. Never knowing for sure where she would end up each night and whether she’ll get through the night unharmed.

She became one of the many hidden homeless. Homeless and afraid. Unseen and uncounted. Looked past and unseen.

Like 9 out of 10 people facing homelessness, Lizzie had experienced trauma in her past – and struggled with its impact, leading to addiction.

A place of safety

She came to Oasis Community Housing during the pandemic. Coming to one of our homelessness drop ins for support and warmth. Here she could access clean showers, fresh clothes, and hot drinks and always had a friendly face to chat to. And more than that: we reminded her that she was seen, that she was heard and that she mattered.

When Lizzie was housed, Oasis Community Housing continued to offer her support. A few years later and Lizzie now has her own tenancy. She recently got in touch during some cold, wet weather to say: “Now I have my own home and my own key. I’m safe. Thank you.”

* Names have been changed to protect identity