NEWWAY NIGHT SHELTER
In response to the rising levels of homelessness in the London Borough of Newham, a team of us from the local church launched the NewWay homeless winter night shelter in November 2013.
With 14 churches taking it in turns to host the shelter throughout the winter months, teams of volunteers provide warm beds, hot meals and friendly company to 15 guests each night of the week. Alongside this practical support, NewWay employ number of advocate workers who offer assistance in helping to move people’s situations forward.
Over the past 6 years, NewWay has opened for 802 nights and provided 10,846 beds to 496 guests. Teams of volunteers have served 21,714 hot meals and advocates workers have helped 203 people to move into permanent accommodation.
Each year the team at NewWay make a video, with former guests and volunteers sharing their testimonies. Here is last years video.
NEWDAY ADVICE CENTRE
Recognising the need for a year round support service that helps people move forward out of crisis, increase their resilience and successfully transition into their new life away from the streets, in June 2014 we launched the NewDay advice centre. Opening Monday to Friday each week, NewDay provides hygiene facilities (such as showers and washing machines), alongside skills enhancement workshops (including ESOL classes, CV writing workshops, money management, food and nutrition classes, and job searching support).
Members of NewDay have also been encouraged to volunteer at the Grow Together Be Together community garden. This has proven to be a very successful partnership, with a number of members volunteering at the garden each week and experiencing many physical and mental health benefits.
NEWLIFE NEWHAM SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
With NewDay providing invaluable support around life-skills, our vision is now to be able to help our members - some of East London's most marginalised people - renter the workplace.
The NewLife back-to-work programme is not a ‘system’, it’s person-centric. Trainees get the opportunity to gain skills, experience and responsibility in real work environments. As they need it, trainees will also receive support with emergency shelter, education, housing, and life skills, through our work at NewWay and NewDay.