Crisis Skylight Brent
Crisis has been supporting people in Brent since 2016, after merging with a successful, user-led local homelessness charity. From our centre, we’ve been running one-to-one coaching, group learning, prevention work and emergency support to people in Brent, but over time six neighbouring boroughs have begun to refer people in need of support to our centre. In 2020, we’re still operating from the same old terraced building on a side street in Harlesden, and the rising levels of homelessness paired with the complexity of people’s needs mean that we have now far outgrown the space.
Next month, to remedy this, we’ll be launching an appeal to fundraise for a new building in Brent.
It’s important we move for several reasons, but the need to provide the best quality support for homeless people underpins all of them. Firstly, we need to create a space that is safe, welcoming and non-institutional for people who have high support needs, with small one-to-one spaces so people can speak privately with their coach. Secondly, we need greater visibility if we want to prevent more people’s homelessness – and a central Harlesden location would enable us do to this crucial and cost effective preventative work. Thirdly, we want our building to be flexible enough that we can host staff from other local homeless organisations, so that we can share knowledge, triage our support, and innovate to provide the best solutions for homeless people in Brent.
After a two-year search, we’ve found a building that suits some of our needs, but it’s a long way from being a place our members could truly thrive in. In June, we’ll get possession of it, but a considerable amount of work must be done internally to make it accessible, open and collaborative.
This is why we’re going to be asking for the support of our philanthropists and some of our closest contacts to change it from a vacant and dated building to the place it needs to be.
If you’re interested in learning more about Crisis’s work in Brent, or would like to schedule a visit to our current space, please get in touch with your account manager or email us at philanthropy@crisis.org.uk
Featured image shows the current Brent Skylight.
Article date: 13.02.20