Established 2005 Registered Charity No. 1110656

Scottish Charity Register No. SC043760

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October – November 2024 : Change READ ONLINE

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November 01 2020
Walk this way: Liam Perry plans to walk around Britain, starting on 3 November from Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock. “I plan to sleep rough at night and by day will be walking just like I did with my first march in 2019. This one is in honour of homeless awareness and in memory of all that have died because of Covid-19 and on our streets.” © Liam Perry Walk this way: Liam Perry plans to walk around Britain, starting on 3 November from Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock. “I plan to sleep rough at night and by day will be walking just like I did with my first march in 2019. This one is in honour of homeless awareness and in memory of all that have died because of Covid-19 and on our streets.” © Liam Perry

What happened to you during lockdown? Mat Amp explains how a community reporter project looks set to influence future homelessness policies

Health charity Groundswell’s Monitoring the impact of Covid-19 Project is making use of every effort to find out what’s happening on the front line for the Pavement readers and others who have experienced homelessness. Staff and volunteers record their experiences and draw attention to potential case studies in daily diaries, while telephone interviews with people who have experienced or are experiencing homelessness shine light on what’s happening with people day-to-day through their stories and how they feel about what’s going on.

Recently Groundswell has partnered with On Our Radar, a group which specialises in getting untold stories on to the front page. On Our Radar has brought considerable experience to the project by enabling people with lived experience of homelessness to become community reporters. Using a citizen journalism approach, participants record their first-hand experiences or interview other people in the community who they know have something to say.
Reporters use their mobile phones to send back texts, audio files or film through SMS or the Signal app, with all data recorded on a centralised platform called Radius. This means their reports can feed directly into the project and be used to influence decision-makers.

Reporters learn fast. First, they watch a series of short, informal training videos and then get assigned a mentor. By accident rather than design, the mentors (Sarah, Stephan and Mat)  have completed the From the Ground Up writing course that was the start of the close working relationship that exists between Groundswell and the Pavement. Don’t fear though, the Pavement remains independent of any outside voice and is not dependent on the funding of any vested interest.

One of the positive things about the project is the way in which reporters work in their own space and at their own speed. We’re always aware at the Pavement that the pressure of deadlines can be taxing, but with this project there are no deadlines.

While reporters get topics each week to report back on, such as homeless emergency hotels or shielding, they are also free to focus on the issues that come up. Some reporters find it easier to report on their own feelings.  Here are some soundbites from the reporters:

  • "Finding someone who will help with benefit advice is really difficult.”
  • “No WiFi, no TV, can't walk, suffering from severe anxiety and depression and my mental health has deteriorated over the past few weeks.”
  • “I’m worried that the world will never be the same.”
  • “Across London I think we are looking at 1,100 people into hotel rooms, so I am hoping that it will bring us closer together.”
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October – November 2024 : Change

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