Housing Justice UNLEASH email bulletin April 2007

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Welcome to this edition of the Housing Justice UNLEASH news and info bulletin. As always if you have comments or feedback on any item please let me know. Thanks.

About this bulletin + subscribe/unsubscribe info
This bulletin is sent out about once a month offering what I hope is a useful 5 minute read, with links to further info and resources for people concerned about housing and homelessness in London. It is prepared with churches, other faith groups, individuals working in housing or homelessness, and smaller projects providing help to homeless people in mind. If you have an item of news, a need or an event you’d like to let others know about please contact me.

Feel free to forward to colleagues or friends who may be interested. If you receive a copy in this way and you would like your own each month let me know. Also do email me if you want to unsubscribe anytime.
a.murray@housingjustice.org.uk
NB I respect your privacy and will never share your email or personal details with other people or organisations without your express permission, and this email is always sent blind copy to prevent spam and viruses.

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Andy Ludlow Homelessness Awards 2007
New Soup Runs Survey refutes claims of overprovision
Volunteers Training: New dates
The Good Book?...How the Bible can be used creatively in urban mission
Strangers into Citizens
Down but not out: the needs of Strangers
Starter Packs Seminar
*New* National Coalition for Independent Action
Join Housing Justice, and receive our quarterly Newsletter by post

Andy Ludlow Homelessness Awards 2007
The Andy Ludlow Homelessness Awards 2007 are now open to entries. The country's leading homelessness awards are now in their ninth year, and there is £25,000 to be won by organisations tackling homelessness and supporting homeless people in London.
Follow this link for more information about the Awards and how to enter:
www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/ludlow

New Soup Runs Survey refutes claims of overprovision
Interesting results from the soup run survey I helped to coordinate at the end of February. The survey identified a total of 32 different groups offering food and other services at five locations in central London (four in Westminster, one in Lambeth), the majority going out just once a week. This is far fewer than the figure of 60 that is often quoted by critics of soup runs.
Housing Justice news release>>

Volunteers Training: New dates
Housing Justice UNLEASH runs a basic training day for volunteers working with people who are homeless. The training is organised in partnership with expert workers from partner organisations like St Mungo's, Equinox, Pilion Trust and the Mental Health training unit, and is provided free to organisations or churches that are members of Housing Justice, or individual supporting members - please see attached membership form.
The day covers: Overview of homelessness, statutory responsibilities of local authority, role of the church and voluntary sector; Mental health awareness; Drugs and alcohol awareness; Basic conflict management.
This basic training day will not make people into experts, but it will raise awareness and provide simple guidelines to help you in your work.
New dates: Sat 21st April and Sat 2nd June
*NEW* Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol Awareness training
After volunteer feedback we are also offering a more in-depth training day on Mental Health awareness and Drugs and Alcohol awareness. This day will be offered first to volunteers who have already done the basic training day.
Mental Health - Sat 19th May
Drugs and Alcohol - Sat 16th June
The day is run on a Saturday between 10.00am-4.00pm.
For more info or for booking info email a.murray@housingjustice.org.uk

The Good Book?...How the Bible can be used creatively in urban mission
Free one day workshop Wednesday 18th April 9:45am-3:30pm
Shaftesbury Christian Centre, Battersea
Lunch provided, £3 please
Booking essential
Traditional approaches to Bible study can be alienating for people in urban areas who tend not to use books as their preferred way of learning. Unlock has developed creative approaches to Bible study, specifically designed for urban contexts, where text based approaches can be a barrier to exploring personal faith.
The day will include:
Creative approaches to using the Bible in urban mission
What works and what doesn’t work
Helping urban disciples relate the bible to their day-to-day lives and experiences
For more info or to book contact Jill Clark on 0208 239 5546 or email jclark@shaftesburysociety.org

Strangers into Citizens
Strangers into Citizens is a campaign by the country’s largest alliance of civic institutions for a pathway into citizenship for undocumented migrants who have made new lives in the UK. The Citizens Organising Foundation (COF) believes the case for an “earned amnesty” is compelling, on humanitarian, economic, fiscal and administrative grounds; and is building an alliance of citizens calling on Government to implement a one-off “earned amnesty” law as part of its overhaul of the UK’s immigration policy.
On Monday 7th May, Mayday Bank Holiday, the following events are planned:
10am Multi-ethnic Mass for Migrant Workers at Westminster Cathedral celebrated by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor.
11.30 Strangers into Citizens March to Trafalgar Square, followed at
12.30 Strangers into Citizens Rally in Trafalgar Square.
5pm Choral Evensong at Westminster Abbey, with prayers of thanksgiving for the contribution of migrant workers.
Further info from:
www.strangersintocitizens.org.uk

Down but not out: the needs of Strangers
Churches’ Refugee Network Conference 2007 - with Enabling Christians in Serving Refugees (ECSR)
Date: Saturday 19 May 11.00 am - 4.15 pm
Venue: Holy Apostles Church Hall, 47 Cumberland Street, London SW1V 4LY
Bring Own Lunch Soup and rolls available
Strangers into Citizens : A Path to Citizenship for the excluded - Austen Ivereigh
The Needs of Strangers: Global Citizens and the Nation State - Ethics and Asylum
The Health of Asylum Seekers: Statutory Provision for those in and out of detention
Reports from asylum projects, and national initiatives
Workshops *Grassroots and campaign news * Live Music * Worship
Further information from Wendy Cooper 020 7916 8632
email wendy.cooper@urc.org.uk

Also another date for your diary: Sunday 17th June at 6.30 pm.
Launch of London Churches Refugee Fund for Destitute Asylum-Seekers
at Westminster Abbey
The funds will raise money to help destitute asylum seekers and will work primarily through church-based organisations responding directly to their needs. Further information from:
Geoffrey Duncan 020 7799 5000
email geoffrey.duncan@urc10.org

Starter Packs Seminar
Most people starting up in a new home after experiencing homelessness need furniture and other items like bedding, cutlery, crockery, towels and other household items. Starter Packs consist of these household items and schemes around the UK, such as in Scotland, have been shown to make a real difference to people in this situation.
Maybe your church or project would be interested in helping to get a scheme going in your borough?
This residential seminar, organised jointly by Housing Justice and the national Furniture Reuse Network will equip you with the knowledge you need to set up a starter pack scheme and also help you to link up with other agencies to support your work.
Dates: Wednesday 23rd – Thursday 24th May 2007
Venue: Barns Conference & Study Centre
Toddington, Gloucestershire GL54 5DQ
Fees for FRN or Housing Justice members: Residential £89 Non Residential £39
Others: Residential £119 Non residential £69
Please note residential rooms are all twins for sharing.
To book send a cheque payable to “The Furniture Re-use Network” 48 West Street, Bristol BS2 0BL.
For other forms of payment please contact Brendan Hanley on 0117 954 3571

*New* National Coalition for Independent Action
A new campaigning coalition has just formed, "Celebrating voluntary & community action to change and challenge the world around us"
Further information from their website>>

Join Housing Justice, and receive our regular (paper) Newsletter
If you find this info and news bulletin useful, you might also like to receive the quarterly Housing Justice UNLEASH newsletter. The latest issue has just gone out to individual supporters and member organisations.
or is available here>>

Finally if you have read this far... I'll close with a Chinese proverb from Annette Zera's "Getting on Brilliantly" website ("Open space technology" and other interesting ideas..see www.gettingonbrilliantly.co.uk)

When the wind of change blows
some build walls
Others
build windmills.

Happy Easter!

best wishes,
Alastair Murray