What is Beacon Housing?
We have developed Beacon Housing to provide supported housing to help men at risk of becoming homeless. It has been set up in partnership with Green Pastures, who have a vision to eliminate homelessness in our nation.
Green Pastures has been running as a charity for some 20 years and are supporting/housing 1,132 people at present. Individuals invest with them, they use this money to purchase properties and cover all legal requirements. They also provide a liaison worker to support each organisation. The property is then leased to us. Residents claim housing benefit which, because of the support they receive, covers property related costs, including the lease.
We offer rooms in this property to single men up to 35 years old. Each resident has a minimum of 3 hours of support each week, helped by a range of people offering their time and skills to the residents. There is a referral system and interview process. We have volunteers who cover maintenance of the property, doing this with the residents to build skills and friendship. We have other team members who provide help with finding employment, budgeting, benefits, life skills etc.
How Can You Help?
- If you know of a young man who could benefit from this project, talk to Simon or Ann Waters or Beth Carr or e-mail housing@beaconchurchhavant.org.uk
- If you would like to support the house, whether it is by helping in the house for an hour or so a week, with the administration, or with the upkeep of the house, again please talk to us or email as above.
- We also need to have 10 “Good Samaritans”, superstars who will support the core costs of Green Pastures by donating at least £5 a month. Prayer is free and we could do with lots of that too!! Click here for more info.
Thank you.
Latest Update…
We have maintained four residents for most of the past 3 years and we count them as friends. We now have a salaried Housing Manager (operated as a job share) together with the full support team. We have worked with CAP (Christians Against Poverty) to develop budgetting skills.
We have also recognised that poor mental health is one of the biggest difficulties that many people face. We are exploring various avenues of support and help with the hope of creating an effective, life changing support system.
Please be praying for the house, that it would be a place of healing, a place of community and a place of hope.