IT HAPPENED TO ME CAMPAIGN (2008)

Simon Community NI launched its new billboard and website campaign today.  The new campaign entitled 'it happened to me' highlights that Simon Community help 500 people everyday to rebuild their lives and stresses that homelessness can happen to anyone during any stage of their life.

Homeless people were centrally involved in developing the campaign.  The concept was developed following a meeting with a large group of Simon Community's service users aimed at getting their views.  Who thought that homelessness and housing difficulties were becoming more prevalent for many throughout Northern Ireland.  They wanted to articulate that homelessness could happen to anyone at anytime.

A website campaign 'it could happen to me' will highlight recent stories from four different service users explaining how they became homeless and how Simon Community NI have helped them through this process. To view the campaign please visit www.simoncommunity.org/me for further information.

Carol O'Bryan, Chief Executive of Simon Community NI said:

“Everyday Simon Community NI through its accommodation and community based services provides assistance for 500 people.  This latest Billboard Campaign explains that homelessness is more prevalent than we think”.

Joanne Grant, Director of JCDecaux commented:

“We are delighted to be able to continue to support the Simon Community through their outdoor media campaign.  The Simon Community continues to really make a difference to the many people who come in contact with the organisation in Northern Ireland”.

On the 29th January 2007 Simon Community with the support of JCDecaux launched its new billboard poster campaign "As Property Booms". The poster highlights that for many vulnerable people including those in poverty or who are homeless that accessing affordable housing is becoming more difficult in the current housing market.

Carol O'Bryan Chief Executive of Simon Community NI said:"Simon Community accommodated over 1,000 households last year. Most of them have ruled out ever being able to own their own home. Social Rented housing and the Private rented sector are the only option for many. Sir John Semple's review into Affordable Housing offers potential to make a real difference for vulnerable people to access secure affordable long term housing. In particular Simon Community support the call within the Interim report to increase the amount of social rented housing from 1,500 to 2,000.

Lindsay Conway Chairman of Simon Community commented:"We hope that this poster will raise awareness that the current housing boom is also having an impact on vulnerable people. It is hoped that local political representatives will take action to address these issues".

Joanne Grant of JCDecaux added:"JCDecaux have been supporting Simon Community NI for the past six years. We are happy to continue with this support through campaigns that highlight important social issues like the lack of affordable housing in Northern Ireland".

Simon Community NI Review into Affordable Housing.

NO LESS CAMPAIGN (2005)

On 10th September Simon Community with the support of JCDecaux and The Mortgage Shop launched the “No Less” billboard campaign.  The campaign aims to highlight the humanity and rights of homeless people.   Homeless people are no less a person than you or I and no less hopeful.  The campaign also aims to promote the concept that everyone has a right to adequate housing.

How does Simon Community expect this to happen?  At the moment some pieces of the jigsaw are falling into place in respect of intervention by government and public authorities.  The Housing Executive's Homelessness Strategy and homelessness being made a Priority for Social Inclusion are two ways in which these interventions are being expressed. However, no current institutional or constitutional framework exists to oblige governments or public bodies to enshrine the right to housing. The discussion surrounding the introduction of the Bill of Rights is an opportunity to obtain a constitutional commitment to the right to housing. We believe that civil rights are interdependent on social and economic rights, with housing as one of the fundamental factors that must exist in order for other rights to be exercised.  A lack of housing impacts upon the exercising of wider citizenship rights.

Why is it so important for this right to be institutionalised? There is no doubt that there is an expressed will amongst some government authorities in Northern Ireland to tackle the issue of homelessness. However some policies such as the extension of the Right To Buy scheme to Housing Association property, the rise in market prices in the owner occupier sector and the economic outlook may mean that some sections of the community could have continued difficulties in availing of affordable housing.  Future governments may also lack similar commitment to social and economic issues. If a Bill of Rights which included the right to housing was introduced in Northern Ireland it would offer a framework against which regional government could be tested in respect of their commitment to fulfilling this right.

If the right was enshrined in a Bill of Rights it would follow precedents set in international covenants most notably the International Convention Economic Social and Cultural Rights. The international consensus amongst charters from Europe and the UN are that social and economic rights are an indispensable element in the protection of human rights.

ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS (2004 - Present)

'Addressing Homelessness', aims to bring about changes in a number of significant policy issues that we consider would address homelessness constructively.

It is targeted at policy makers and politicians.

Click here to download the 'Addressing Homelessness' document as a 5.2Mb PDF file. You may need Adobe Reader installed to display it correctly.