IKEA’s charity committee decided Simon Community NI was a good fit as their charity partner due to the emphasis on providing and creating a ‘Home’ for people.
The company supported Simon Community NI for two years, raising £23,000 for people in need. Staff participated in a variety of fundraising activities, including on-site collections days at their Holywood Exchange store, carol singing, a sponsored abseil, and a sponsored cycle from Belfast to their Dublin store.
They also renovated three important spaces for Simon Community NI – a safe house, a drop-in centre and a young peoples’ common room. Designers worked on the Common Room project with young people living at Simon Community NI’s Belfast Foyer, and then helped paint and build the furniture, fixtures and fittings. The development of the Common Room acted as a catalyst for change within the Accommodation Project, giving the young people living there a sense of belonging and ownership of the space.
Young people living in Simon Community NI’s Belfast Foyer embarked on an exciting 10 week project with IKEA, during which they explored youth homelessness in Northern Ireland, their experiences of what it is like to be young and homeless, and renovated their common room thanks to donations from Ikea.
The Without Doors project, which was also supported by Wheelworks and Helm Housing, saw the transformation not only of a room, but of the hearts and minds of those involved, empowering those working on the project to develop key life skills, building their confidence, and ultimately, helping provide them create a route out of homelessness.
“Since I have been in The Foyer I have really started to turn my life around. The Without Doors Project helped me build skills and confidence, and is helping me find a route out of homelessness.
Corey – 20 years old & Involved in the Project
“Over the two years, we raised £23,000 to support the incredible work Simon Community NI does for the homeless in Northern Ireland. It has been an important topic of conversation, and whatever we can do to highlight it and continue the conversation to reduce the amount of homeless people on the streets, then we’re delighted to be able to do it.
IKEA's Lynn Campbell
To find out more about IKEA Click Here