Manchester Homelessness Partnership Newsletter: June 2023

Welcome to the Manchester Homelessness Partnership’s June newsletter!

June 2023

MHP Updates

Reminder of our new structure!

Manchester Homelessness Partnership has taken on a new structure since it’s re – launch, emphasising a direct connection between the Board and the Action Groups. 

If you want to find out more about this change, please contact zainab@macc.org.uk

A new addition to the team…


This summer, Alycia will be joining us for 8 weeks as our Communications and Events intern! She will be helping write our newsletter, update our social media as well help plan the annual network event!

Please email her at alycia@macc.org.uk for any enquiries.

Action Group updates

June action group meetings


Our Action Groups are open to anyone who shares our goal of ending homelessness – please contact us if you’d like to come along! Don’t forget to share the details of these meetings with your networks and anyone you think might be interested.

The Mental Health Action Group is restarting!


Prior to COVID – 19, the Mental Health Action Group was alive and well and helping kickstart conversations around the mental wellbeing of people without homes. One of its achievements include putting together the ‘Cause and Consequence’ report which touches on topics such as addiction and medication. To read this comprehensive report, click here.

Fast forward to the present day and we are delighted to welcome Max Homberger, a psychologist from the charity ‘Change Grown Live’ as one of our co- chairs for the relaunched Mental Health Action Group! We are so excited to see this group grow and work towards its aim of implementing and influencing change around mental health and homelessness. 
Please contact Max via max.homberger@cgl.org.uk to join the group!

Spotlight on …  Non – UK Nationals Action Group

Aim: To improve the experience of non – UK nationals who are experiencing homelessness in Manchester 

Current project: The group voted to decide the first topic of focus for the group – how non–UK nationals with restricted eligibility to public funds can access accommodation. The group has begun to design a toolkit which can be of use to frontline services and people experiencing these issues themselves. It helps readers navigate the system, demystify common misconceptions and raises awareness of what support people can access no matter what your immigration status.

Get involved: It is a joint effort and everyone is welcome to get involved! Please get in touch with Alix, the group’s co-chair, on alix@boothcentre.org.uk to register your interest, or drop in to the Booth Centre for a chat.

Training Successes

Media training


On the 26th June, leaders from charities such as the Booth Centre and Barnabus took part in a full day of media training, headed by Andy Walker. Andy is an experienced journalist and had very insightful advice to offer our charity representatives, for example, the do’s and don’ts of interviews, developing key messages and eliminating jargon. Participants even had the opportunity to take part in practice radio interviews, and although they agreed that public speaking can be daunting, they performed brilliantly and employed all the techniques they had learnt. Here’s some feedback from some of our participants:

‘Really useful to find out that it’s okay to establish the angle before agreeing to an interview, and to ask what the first question will be.’ – Jenni, Booth Centre
‘I loved learning how to translate my own passion for the sector into clean calls for action.’ – Isla, Booth Centre
‘I learnt interview techniques, how the media works and how to be prepared and succinct – it was very useful.’ – Neil, Barnabus

Co – production training


Staff and volunteers from the Booth Centre, with lived experience of visiting and running services, delivered this training session. It focused on teaching attendees how to involve people with lived experience in strategic meetings in a meaningful and safe way.
It was attended by MHP co – chairs and partners. It was co – designed and co – delivered in the true spirit of the Co – Production Action Group!

Organisers will also be gathering attendees’ thoughts from the group work to inform later versions of the training!

Events we attended…

Greater Manchester Action Networks Summit 
‘Greater Manchester is a place where no-one is more important than anyone else.’ – Andy Burnham at the summit

On the 15th June, the first GMAN summit was held, titled ‘Connecting Our Social Justice and Climate Justice Missions in GM’ at Freight Island. 
The day involved activities that facilitated networking between teams e.g. through Speed Networking and there was even an interactive performance by GM Jokers. A highlight of the event included a speech and Q and A by Mayor Andy Burnham! 
A poll was taken from the event which asked different networks, such as the Food Security Action Network and Manchester Homelessness Network, about how to better connect with one another in order to create ‘a network of networks.’ This movement to a holistic approach of taking care of Manchester is very exciting and you can spot it online as #GMNetworksConnect.

Funding, Resources & Events

Greater Manchester Homelessness Action Network: Learn! Lobby! Deliver!
The Greater Manchester Homelessness Action Network have organised this event for all people to attend to come and find out what their task groups have been up to as well as help plan an action plan for the respective groups. Its a great opportunity, especially for frontline workers, decision – makers, commissioners and people with lived experience of homelessness, to find out more about how Manchester is tackling homelessness. It’s also a great opportunity to sign up to a task group.
Time and date: 09:30 – 12:30, 05/ 07/ 23
Where: Methodist Central Hall
Link for FREE tickets

Spirit of Manchester shortlist!
The Spirit of Manchester shortlist has been released. Click here to see who is up for the different awards, which include categories like Volunteer of the Year and Community Cohesion.
The awards aim to celebrate achievements and honour people within the voluntary sector. The event will be held on the 5th October 2023. Tickets are £25 per person or £200 for a table of 8. Contact info@mcrcommunitycentral.org for more information.

Booth Centre Theatre Production 
The Booth Centre have partnered with The Edge Theatre and Arts Centre to host a wonderful production of Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations by Alan Aykbourn. Dates of the event are the 13th, 14th and 15th July 2023. Follow this link to find out more!

Booth Centre Open Garden
The Booth Centre’s open garden for July will take place on Saturday 22nd July between 1-3pm. It is drop in event and you can stay as long as you like! Attend this opportunity to find out more about what the Booth Centre do and meet some of the individuals who have been impacted by the service. The event is free however please pre – book using this link.

Buzzword of the month

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
ESG is a framework used to assess a company’s ethical practices, environmental impact, social contribution etc. Although not a financial indicator of a company, it is very important as investors are looking more and more closely at how companies abide to ESG.