(Photo Credit: Bradley Quinn)
Hundreds of people sleep out at Stormont for homelessness
- Almost 200 people are sleeping out at Stormont Estate tonight as part of Simon Community’s One BIG Sleep Out event.
- The event is raising funds and awareness about the homelessness crisis in Northern Ireland.
- Attendees have gathered in front of Stormont, shining a light on the fact that 1 in 33 people are now homeless in NI.
On Friday night, almost 200 people are sleeping out at Stormont for Simon Community’s flagship One Big Sleep Out event. The event, which is bringing together members of the public, people who have experience of homeless and staff of the charity, aims to challenge the stigmas around homelessness in Northern Ireland.
Gathered in front of Stormont, the participants held torches high to shine a light on the issue. The scene featured a sofa representing the thousands of people who are ‘hidden homeless’ - sofa surfing or sleeping in their cars.
Simon Community Chief Executive Jim Dennison said, “Tonight’s event is about more than raising funds. It’s about challenging stigmas and amplifying the voices of those with lived experience of homelessness.
Homelessness isn’t just rough sleeping. It includes people living in hostels, B&Bs, cars, and those sofa surfing. Since Stormont has returned in January, over 3,000 more people have become legally homeless. We now have over 58,000 people in Northern Ireland who are experiencing homelessness. Events like this shine a light on the true size and scale of the crisis, and hopefully inspires people to take action.”
The Sleep Out also provides an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for the temporary accommodation and support services Simon Community offers to those currently experiencing or at risk of homelessness. From providing emergency accommodation to prevention initiatives, the charity continues to deliver services across Northern Ireland.
Jim continues “Simon Community has been on the frontline in tackling homelessness in Northern Ireland for over 50 years, but the demand for our services is escalating every single week. With support, we can do things differently and work towards finding the solutions to end homelessness.
I want to say a huge thank you to everyone here tonight and to all our supporters across Northern Ireland. By working together we can continue to reach families and individuals who need our help and break the cycle of homelessness for good.”
In Northern Ireland there are 58,241 people officially classified as homeless. That's one in every 33 people.
In addition, according to recent Simon Community research, there are up to a further 25,000 people outside the system who are not getting the support they so desperately need.
We have record high numbers on the social housing waiting list. Over 88,880 people across NI are currently waiting for a social home. Between the 1970s and 1990s, around 4,500 social houses were built each year. In 24/25 the target for social home ‘starts’ has been cut to just 400-600 homes.
Founded in 1971, Simon Community was set up to provide a soup run for rough sleepers across Belfast City Centre. Over 50 years later, Simon Community has grown to become Northern Ireland’s largest homeless organisation. We work in every corner of NI, providing a range of services that support people experiencing – or at risk of – homelessness.
In just one week, from 12th - 19th June 2024, there were only 10 available beds out of the 464 in Simon Community temporary accommodation sites. In the same period, we received 425 requests from people desperate for somewhere to stay.
One Big Sleep Out is an annual event (now in its 5th year) that aims to raise critical funds and awareness of homelessness in NI.