A place-based partnership
The Berkeley Foundation and Crisis have been working together to tackle homelessness since 2013. Over the last three years alone, the Foundation has invested over £1 million in Crisis’ work to end homelessness. This funding has supported the delivery of Crisis’ employment services across London and a ‘place-based’ approach to ending homelessness in the London Borough of Brent.
According to Crisis’ research, there was a 17% increase in rough sleeping in Brent between 2019–2020 and 2020–2021, from 320 rough sleepers to 374 (and that’s just the numbers we know about)!
From 1 Nov 2019 - 31 Oct 2022 our partnership supported 288 members into employment and enabled Crisis to end the homelessness of 1,700 members.
“Strong partnership working has helped develop a step change in how homelessness services are delivered in Brent”
Laurence Coaker, Head of Housing Needs, Brent Council
Place-based work relies on strong local collaboration – between statutory and non-statutory services. Our partnership has created a forum for collaboration, bringing 30+ organisations together through the Brent Homelessness Forum, creating a Community of Practice, where local stakeholders can share learning and best practice, and facilitating Homelessness Awareness Training for over 500 local professionals.
As a result, Crisis Brent has seen an increased number of referrals from hospital staff and job centres. It has successfully advocated for the introduction of a new triaging system in the borough, enabling homeless people to be assessed in a timely manner and referred to the appropriate service. And, this work has also led to a new commissioned service in Brent, which has improved the experience of people with complex needs in the borough.
“I have seen an improvement in the quality and the wellbeing of my workers”
Ryan Fluke, Outreach Manager, St Mungo’s, Brent
Like all London boroughs, Brent suffers from a shortage of affordable housing. However, our partnership has enabled local stakeholders to co-produce housing-led solutions in the borough, leading to the development of 20 affordable housing units for people experiencing homelessness – construction is due to begin this year!
With all this excellent partnership work taking place, it’s not surprising that Brent housed the second highest number of vulnerable people in the whole of the capital during the pandemic - as part of the ‘Everyone In’ initiative.
“This kind of partnership-building, especially between the local authority and the voluntary, community and social sector will be critical to future efforts to address homelessness in the borough”
Councillor Eleanor Southwood, London Borough of Brent
Through our 2030 Strategy, we want to support homelessness systems and services to operate in a way that puts the needs and experiences of homeless people first. That’s why we are investing more resources into Crisis’ innovative place-based approach over the next year. Watch this space as we support Crisis and the London Borough of Brent to adopt ‘Built for Zero’ – a methodology working to prove that it is possible to make homelessness rare and brief. It’s the first of its kind in the UK and we are excited to be involved!
Adding value to our partnership
Our partnership with Crisis goes beyond funding. It enables us to engage Berkeley staff in fundraising and volunteering, and we have also facilitated some work placements for Crisis members.
Berkeley staff have been a big part of the Crisis at Christmas events since 2014, with 14 colleagues picking up 19 shifts in 2022.