Make Change Count - supporting homeless people in Brighton & Hove
If you’re concerned about homeless people in Brighton & Hove, Make Change Count is a great way to help.
As we emerge from a global pandemic into a national cost of living crisis, support for vulnerable rough sleepers is more vital than ever.
A huge amount of work was done to help keep vulnerable people safe throughout the Covid crisis. What’s been achieved to help people off the streets shows what can be done with the right resources in place.
But we now face a new range of challenges as the full financial impact of the increases to the costs of living start to bite. People are experiencing greater hardship, especially the most vulnerable in our community.
Better for everyone
Make Change Count is the city’s combined fundraising campaign that provides much needed funds to local charities who support and prevent homelessness.
It has been running since 2016 and is supported by Brighton & Hove City Council, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner and Sussex Police.
Make Change Count does 3 things:
- It offers a great alternative for people who want to give change to rough sleepers, but recognise that their money can do more.
- It facilitates the professional help that is needed to give a homeless person the best chance to get off the streets and into safety.
- It supports vital charities in the city who work together to provide effective support.
The charities involved in Make Change Count include:
For adults
- Antifreeze – Off the Fence’s afternoon and evening outreach and day centre
- BHT Sussex - day centre, residential rehabilitation, mental health services, specialist housing & legal services and learning and training initiatives
- Equinox – drug & alcohol outreach
- YMCA Brighton - advice, support, guidance, accommodation, training and education for adults and young people
For young people
- Sussex Nightstop – temporary accommodation in welcoming homes
- The Clock Tower Sanctuary – Brighton’s only day centre for 16 to 25 year olds
- YMCA Downslink Group – advice, support, guidance and accommodation
The most effective use of your money
YMCA Downslink Group is hosting the Make Change Count for the year ending March 2023. Nikki Mason, their Director of Fundraising and Communications is emphatic about the way funds are used and the efficiency of pooling donations and acting together to support positive change:
Nikki said: “With direct action, practical help and compassionate, personalised support, the people who work for our charities provide a real chance for people to rebuild their lives in a safe environment.
“The public can be assured that every penny donated to the campaign goes directly to people in need - no funds raised are used by any of the charities for administration and we all contribute to the campaign at no cost.”
Outreach workers and street services guide people to access the right accommodation where they will be further helped on a one-to-one basis to recover physically and mentally from the trauma of rough sleeping.
People need help and support to adapt to living in new ways. Helping people away from rough sleeping takes time and compassion.
Contributions are then used to provide food, access to shower facilities, healthcare, clothing and a wide range of practical help, based on individual needs.
Councillor David Gibson, Co-chair of the council's Housing Committee, said: “It is heart wrenching to see people out on the streets in the cold and wet. We were the first council in the UK to sign-up to the Homeless Bill of Rights and urgently aim to end the need for anyone to sleep out under the bill’s goals.
“The brilliant work of the charities involved in Make Change Count are a vital part of the support on offer to anyone facing homelessness in the city.
“As the cost-of-living crisis bites, we are struggling to sustain the reductions in rough sleeping achieved during ‘everyone in’ so we really need all the extra help residents can afford to offer.
“By donating to Make Change Count, you can be sure your generosity is directly helping support people to move away from rough sleeping in Brighton & Hove.”
What else can you do?
If you don’t have spare change to support this campaign, or want to do more than make a donation, there are other ways you can help homelessness in our city:
- If you are concerned about someone sleeping rough, contact Streetlink via their website or by calling 0300 500 0914. The details you provide are sent to the local authority or outreach to help them find the individual and connect them to support.
- If you’d like to volunteer for a homeless charity in the city, 4 of the Make Change Count organisations have current vacancies for volunteers in a range of rewarding roles. Visit their websites to find out more:
