Since 2013, Crisis and The Berkeley Foundation have worked in partnership to help end homelessness.
Since the beginning of the partnership, the Berkeley Foundation has helped fund Crisis' employment services in Central London, Brent and Croydon, which support people who are homeless with learning and training and to help them find work. The Berkeley Foundation has not only supported the delivery of Crisis’ work through funding but has also provided employment opportunities for members looking to begin or continue a career in construction. To date 25 Crisis members have been employed in various positions within The Berkeley Group and its supply chain.
Our partnership has developed in many ways since 2013, and Berkeley Foundation has played an integral role in supporting Crisis to deliver our new strategy. A crucial objective of the strategy is to prove homelessness can be ended and Crisis is using a place-based approach to demonstrate this at a local level. In 2019, Crisis partnered with Newcastle City Council to deliver a place-based approach to services and this relationship continues to move forward into 2022.
A similar place-based approach is also being applied to services in Brent and since 2019 the Foundation has been working with Crisis to achieve this. This means expanding services in the area, working closely with local providers to ensure that the people we help in Brent are offered the range of support that they need, and working with Brent Council to develop strategies to reduce and end homelessness.
Since 2013 members have been able to gain the skills and employment needed to take their first steps out of homelessness and in recent years and moving forward the relationship will make an even greater impact on the services and housing support and provision in Brent.
Atara Fridler, Director of Skylight Brent, said:
“Thanks to the generosity of the Berkeley Foundation and their continued dedication to our work, we are making strides towards ending homelessness in Brent by taking a place-based approach. We’ve seen fantastic local collaboration with everyone involved committed to tackling and overcoming some of the big issues contributing to homelessness in the borough.’’
Sally Dickinson, Head of Berkeley Foundation, said:
“Our partnership with Crisis has gone from strength to strength. Not only do we invest in Crisis’ vital employment work, but we are extremely proud of our place-based approach to ending homelessness in Brent. Our work in Brent brings together public, private and voluntary organisations to create systems change, facilitate learning, and support more people to end their homelessness. Berkeley Group staff have always been heavily involved in fundraising and volunteering for Crisis. It is a partnership that Berkeley staff can invest their time in and we are truly committed to the goal of ending homelessness.”
For further information on the Crisis partnership with The Berkeley Foundation contact Senior Partnerships Account Manager Ali Roberts on ali.roberts@crisis.org.uk