Manchester Homelessness Partnership Newsletter: July 2023

Welcome to the Manchester Homelessness Partnership‘s July newsletter!

July 2023


MHP updates

We now have Instagram and a Facebook page!


Embracing other social media as well as Twitter is helping us reach wider audiences. Go give us a follow:
Instagram = @mcrhomelessness
Facebook = search ‘Manchester Homelessness Partnership’
 
We will be using these accounts to post Action Group meeting times as well!


Action Group updates

August 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 Migrant Destitution Action Group need you!

The Migrant Destitution Fund for Greater Manchester is in need of volunteers, especially for organising/ planning events and managing their social media.

The Migrant Destitution Fund supports immigrants who have been forced into poverty by their immigration status. They do this by giving monthly cash grants. Find out more on their website https://www.migrantdestitution.co.uk/

Do you feel you can help out?

Contact Will on 07538 916485 or info@migrantdestitution.co.uk

The Woman’s Homelessness Involvement Action Group are calling for women with lived experience

The WHIG would like more attendees who are women and have lived experience. Please come along if this is you and/ or please alert your networks and service users. This Action Group have so much in the pipeline for the next 12 months and it is crucial that these projects involve co – production. 
The WHIG can reimburse the cost of getting you to the Booth Centre where meetings are held monthly. Just bring along a reciept of your travel fare and you will get your money back at the meeting!


Spotlight on …  Co – Production Action Group

Aim: ensuring that people with lived experience are involved in the partnership in a meaningful way 

Current project: recently the group put on a co – production training event for co – chairs of other action groups. They are looking to do another set of training, even more enriching, for people within the MHP and outside agencies. It will focus on: informing people with lived experience on how to get involved in homeless strategy projects and how organisations can involve these people as well. Another project they are working on is consultation work for Manchester City Council’s homelessness strategy. 

Get involved: Please contact co – chair Harris@boothcentre.org.ukto find out more. He is particularly calling on people with lived experience from outside the Booth Centre to join the group!


Events we attended…

Anti – Poverty Community Summit 


On the 6th July we attended Manchester Central Foodbank’s Anti – Poverty Community Summit. Multiple charities and organisations were in attendance and also had stalls such as Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, Barlow Moor Community Association, Dandelion Community and Equal Start Manchester Central Foodbank.

Interactive tasks included writing on Jenga blocks answers to ‘What does an anti – poverty community look like to you?’ Fantastic research from focus groups was displayed on the walls identifying the causes of poverty for specific boroughs of Manchester.

A highly enlightening event which links in closely to homelessness. If we are tackling poverty, we are tackling homelessness!


Booth Centre and Edge Theatre Production

On Friday 14th July, we saw ‘Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations’ at The Edge Theatre! They have been working with The Booth Centre Theatre Company for many years now. Their partnership allows people with lived experience of homelessness to have access to and explore the arts – donate to The Edge here so this can continue. 
The story, originally written by Alan Ayckbourn, follows a young boy whose daydreams seem to come to life. It was a truly entertaining afternoon full of laughter! 


Funding, Resources & Events

Business Partnership Offer

Hello!

I would like to introduce myself as the Business Partnerships Lead at Macc. My job is to help support the VCSE network in Manchester to work together with businesses in a mutually beneficial way, whether this is related to income, use of in-kind donations such as knowledge expertise and resources, or in other ways.  

I would love to hear from those of you that have:

  • Looked at business support but not known how to best proceed
  • Got particular needs you think might be met by working with companies
  • Would like to develop more relationships with the private sector
  • Feel like you work well with business now, and would like to share knowledge/ experience to help other VCSE groups

Keep an eye out for upcoming resources, training and opportunities to meet businesses as they appear on Macc’s News and Events page.
Email: Richard.phillips@macc.org.uk
Tel: 07789 893 441

£76m cost of living fund for community organisations!
Delivered in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund, the Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund (CCLF) will support organisations across England to deliver critical frontline services. Organisations will be able to apply for between £10,000 and £75,000 funding to maintain or expand critical cost of living services from now until the end of March 2024.

The deadline for applications is 16 October 2023 at 12 noon!
There is a webinar on August 3rd to find out more – click the link below to find out more about this opportunity and join the webinar:

https://locality.org.uk/news/community-organisations-cost-of-living-fund

Save the Date!

On Monday 25th September 2023, we will be hosting the MHP’s Annual Network Event. It will be from 10am – 2pm at FC United. Can’t wait to see you there!

Co – production resources

Co – production Week ran from the 3rd – 9th July this year and the theme was ‘Co – production in the real world.’ A series of webinars were available that showcased resources the NHS has been working on in the past year. They made a fantastic animated video on co – production which is a really good watch. Link to resources below!
https://www.england.nhs.uk/always-events/co-production/

How to talk about homes toolkit

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation have made a framing toolkit to talk about homes. It offers recommendations on how to improve people’s mindset when talking about houses and the housing crisis, for example seeing homes not ‘as a consumer good’ but being ‘essential to a decent life.’ Click the link below to read up on the 5 principles:
https://buff.ly/3rF1rKZ

It’s South Asian Heritage Month!

South Asian Heritage Month runs from July 18th to August 17th annually and this year’s theme is ‘Stories to Tell.’ 
This month of commemoration and celebration started in 2020 and is actually run by the South Asian Heritage Month charity. Click the link below to find out more about this month and keep an eye out for events near you:
https://southasianheritage.org.uk/about-the-south-asian-heritage-month/

Booth Centre Open Garden
The Booth Centre’s open garden for August will take place on Sunday 20th August between 1-3pm. It’s a 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 the link below:
https://www.boothcentre.org.uk/events.html

The Homelessness Prevention Hub is being launched
The Booth Centre have created this brand – new service in order to help those at risk of becoming homeless! 

Trauma Awareness Spaces and Places Level 1
Greater Together Manchester are putting on a 4 – hour course about Trauma Awareness on September 6th 2023. People experiencing homelessness often have complex needs due to trauma so this could be a very informative opportunity. Click on the link below to book your place:
https://crm.greatertogethermanchester.org/civicrm/event/info?id=13&reset=1

MHP partner organisations shortlisted for Spirit of Manchester!
Congratulations to the Booth centre, Mustard tree and MASH for being shortlisted in the Spirit of Manchester awards! Click the link below to attend the event of the year!
https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/spirit-of-manchester/spirit-manchester-awards


Job opportunities

Paid Charity Fundraiser – Shelter
Become a door – to – door fundraiser and help raise donations to Shelter! Apply here.

Community Shop Manager – Shelter
Shelter are looking for a manger for their shop in Bolton. Applications close on August 2nd so apply here quickly! 


Word of the month

Global Majority
Describes people who are Black, Asian, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and/ or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’. However, does not include white ‘ethnic minorities.’


Contribute and have your say on the MHP newsletter

Want to contribute to the MHP newsletter? Send over any events, resources or funding opportunities that we can share with the network, to help us in our aim of tackling homelessness in Manchester. We welcome constructive (and positive) feedback too! Drop us an email on zainab@macc.org.uk or alycia@macc.org.uk