Groundswell is a registered charity that exists to enable homeless and vulnerable people to take more control of their lives, have a greater influence on services and to play a fuller role in our community.
Our work is based around a set of core beliefs that see homeless people at the heart of solutions to tackling homelessness. Our largest area of work is around health and homelessness with peer volunteers accompanying homeless people to health appointments.
We operate from a busy, inclusive office in Vauxhall with 20 staff along with over fifty volunteers - with an income of approximately £850k. In 2016 we celebrated our 20th birthday and were declared ‘Overall Winners’ of the Kings Fund GSK Impact Award.
Groundswell’s Homeless Health Peer Advocacy service offers one-to-one support to people experiencing homelessness to attend health appointments. Focused on practical support, such as paying travel fares, reminders and accompaniment to appointments, the service also builds the skills, confidence and knowledge to enable clients to continue to independently access services. Support is provided by peer advocates - who are volunteers and staff with personal experience of homelessness.
We deliver approximately 3,000 engagements each year across nine central London boroughs and are currently exploring opportunities to extend this work across England.
We also deliver the Insight and Action Programme - which generates new understanding of homelessness, utilising the perspective and voice of people experiencing homelessness.
Volunteers are at the heart of Groundswell’s work. Our Progression Programme enables formerly homeless volunteers to overcome employment barriers by providing a cohesive, person-centred programme of bespoke training, support and coaching that builds self-reliance and self-determination, independence and inclusion. This year we supported 57 volunteers; with 28 progressing into training, employment or further volunteering; and 15 gaining paid employment!
