Impact Report

www.spearlondon.org 2017/18 Registered charity: 1122206 www.spearlondon.org SPEAR is a charity for people experiencing homelessness in South-West London. We build communities in which everyone has a place to "SPEAR are the call home and provide the help needed to lead a Our fulfilling life. We recognise that homelessness is much more than just a housing issue, so we provide 4th emergency a range of accommodation and support services to Services help people reach their full potential service – they are life savers" - SPEAR client -

RICHMOND UPON THAMES WANDSWORTH

MERTON

KINGSTON UPON THAMES SPEAR’s services were in high demand in 2017/18. We continued to see a rise in rough sleeping and increasing numbers of people with complex issues related to their health and wellbeing. The wider housing and social issues that cause people to become homeless did not abate. In this challenging climate, we welcomed investment at a national SUTTON level in tackling homelessness and the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act. Following this, SPEAR began its first homelessness prevention service and expanded support to rough sleepers across South West London. Map The Charity Commission’s agreement to SPEAR and Quintus Housing Key Trust ‘unifying direction’ was another significant development for Stuart Nevill, SPEAR. This enables both organisations to work towards the same Chief Executive charitable objectives. Together, we are in a stronger position to reach a broader group of people, offer more accommodation options and deliver greater impact. 24 hour supported Skills development service accommodation We continue our commitment to our core values: working together Homeless Health Link Service with our service users and partners to deliver the best possible Young people’s supported Homelessness prevention for outcomes; aspiring to the highest standards of support; being accommodation families and single households respectful of everyone we work alongside; determined to break down First-stage accommodation Rough sleeper outreach service the barriers people face; and being visionary in our approach. for men Semi-independent accommodation

Floating support and We remain grateful for the many volunteers and supporters, Second-stage accommodation Short-term accommodation tenancy sustainment for men partners and funders who make our work possible. It is a privilege for young people to work alongside you to help more people on their journey from Support to access the Women’s supported homelessness to independence. Jack Stephen, Chair private rented sector accommodation Home-based support YOUNG PEOPLE Our We SPEAR provides accommodation and support for young people affected by gave homelessness. Our goal is to equip people with the skills and tools to live Impact in 2017/18 and work successfully in the future.

48young people a home 17% young people At SPEAR we understand that every of SPEAR's service supported into person is different. We help people users were under 25 education, training experiencing homelessness with

620 75% men people accessed and employment

every aspect of their lives so they 25% women SPEAR's services can fulfil their hopes and ambitions 36

people supported to improve ACCOMMODATION their skills, go into education SKILLS SPEAR provides different types of accommodation, with varying and find work We at SPEAR recognise that gaining new skills and 84% levels of support, suited to the individual needs of each person 161 building confidence is crucial for a positive future people successfully maintained their tenancies 24 people gained 27 a qualification people supported 36 to find employment supported housing for we found accommodation for service users 3 people a week volunteered SERVICE USER

We provided We 157people, 48 were women HEALTH INVOLVEMENT AND SPEAR helps people to improve their mental and 5 people became physical health and wellbeing. Our Homeless Health qualified Peer Link Service supports people to overcome the PEER MENTORING barriers they might face in accessing health care Mentors SPEAR ‘s Service User Involvement Group gives people the chance to get involved in running SPEAR, run their own activities, support their peers and volunteer in SPEAR services.

147 GP Reduced the use Registrations of ambulances by We conducted a service user survey to find out what people thought of the support they get at SPEAR, 50 people responded. 32% 8 out of 9 peer mentors from the past two years found volunteering We helped 147 people helped 147 people We register with a GP people158 were supported 95% 90%said they were well supported roles and/or paid work were happy with the service that with their health they received from their project by their key worker www.spearlondon.org Our Board of Trustees Who's Jack Stephen, Chair Supporters Barrie Hatch, Vice Chair Patron Charlotta Campanale Thanks to everyone who donated their time and Jonathan Cardy The Rt Hon Sir Vince Cable Who? expertise this year. Volunteer roles included literacy Paul Doe Leader of the Liberal Democrats tutors, health support workers, outreach workers, Alex Doig and MP for SPEAR ambassadors, volunteer fundraisers and Grant Healy Executive Team receptionists in SPEAR accommodation projects Katy Kiely Stuart Nevill, Chief Executive Christine Reay Lesleigh Bounds, Director of Strategic Operations Duncan Richford Donna Marshall, Finance Director gave 4,772 worth Rachel Smith hours £ 132 49,869 volunteers

What are the things I'm 20,000 1,600 most proud of from this year? people visited Twitter our website followers

* Our partnership work with local councils to respond to rising rough sleeping · * Securing funding to continue the vital work we do with vulnerable women * Transferring to a new database to improve the monitoring and evaluation of our work Community - Lesleigh Bounds, Strategic Operations Director - and Events We reached over 5000 people in the local community including local councils, health and social care professionals, schools, community groups, faith groups, local businesses and local residents. Thank you to the brave people who took on challenges for SPEAR: cycling in Ride London, running Finances the Royal Parks Half Marathon and the London Marathon. How your money Revenues have increased by 33% over the previous year, thanks to new Would you like investment in our programmes from our statutory and charitable partners. to get involved? can help Investments Raising funds Donations and legacies could pay for an outreach worker £3,413 £154,719 £166,307 £50 to work a shift, to help find people sleeping rough and make them safe

could buy four thermal sleeping bags, To become a SPEAR keeping rough sleepers warm during ambassador, please contact £100 cold winter nights [email protected] £2.5m To donate to SPEAR, please go to could fund a new home-starter kit full £2.5m www.justgiving.com/SPEARLondon £250 of essential items for someone moving into a new property Income Expenditure To volunteer for the charity, please contact [email protected] could support nearly 20 people to £500 receive a thorough health assessment

could support one person to develop £100 new skills and find a job, turning their Charitable activities Charitable activities 0 lives around for good £2,408,999 £2,337,938 Thank www.spearlondon.org Thank you for every donation of money, time, energy, expertise and gifts in kind given You to SPEAR this year. We are grateful for the generosity of the many companies, charitable trusts and foundations, community groups, schools, faith groups and individuals who supported us. We cannot list you all, but your support is hugely appreciated.

All Hallows Church Richmond Parish Lands Charity The Berkeley Charitable Foundation Barnes Workhouse Fund River Church Sutton The Drapers’ Charitable Fund Big Lottery Fund Riverside Vineyard Church The Monument Trust Capstan Limited St Andrew’s Parish Church Ham The Peter Stebbings Charlotte Wade Charity St Elizabeth of Portugal RC Church Memorial Charity Christ Church St George PLC The Richmond Charities Clare King Charitable Trust St James’s Parish Church The Wimbledon Foundation Hampton Fuel Allotment Charity True Beauty Salon Hands Fair Surbiton High Girl’s Prep School Holy Trinity Church Twickenham Stephen Roberts Memorial Trust Invesco Ltd The 29th May 1961 Charity Fete The Albert Hunt Trust Kew Rotary Kew Village Market King’s House School Kingston Round Tables Thank you also to our partners and commissioners, including Orleans Park School the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Parish Church of St Anne, Kew the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, the London Borough Richmond Choral of Merton, The London Borough of Richmond, the London Borough of Sutton, the London Borough of Wandsworth. Daniel's

Story Then a friend told me about SPEAR. Kingston Outreach team, helping to I got in touch with them and asked get people off the streets. It means It wasn’t just one thing that led me for help. An outreach worker came so much to me to help people who to the streets, but a run of bad luck and found me in my tent one were in my situation. There can’t be that snowballed. I crashed my car morning. They asked me lots of a better reason to go to work. and wrote it off. After the accident questions about what I needed and I couldn’t work. With no income, I how they could help. They got me soon lost my flat. somewhere to stay – it was such I bedded down on a mate’s sofa a relief to have get the keys and at first, but I couldn’t stay for long. somewhere safe to sleep. It was his home, not mine. I didn’t Next, I spoke to SPEAR’s Skills know who to turn to and the cold Development team. They put me weather was really kicking in, so I on a programme that helped build bought a small tent. It helped keep my confidence until I felt ready to me dry and I pitched up all over, look for work again. I found a job not wanting to stay too long in working with disabled and young one place. people with special needs. With a Living on the streets, you never salary, I was able to afford a place feel safe. You feel people staring of my own again. at you, wanting you gone. It was After a while, a job came up at so isolating, and my self-esteem SPEAR in their new homelessness was rock bottom. I felt it was my prevention programme. I applied fault, that I should get myself and was over the moon when I got out of this mess. it. After that, I got a job in their