The problem
- Increasing numbers of women are losing their lives to homelessness.
- 40% increase in women using Homeless Oxfordshire’s services.
- In the United Kingdom, there is a chronic shortage of women-focused homeless programmes.
- Women tend to stay in abusive relationships rather than sleeping on the streets.
- By nature women are more resourceful and are often the hidden homeless; they are less likely to rough sleep and more likely to be living in Type A/hard drug/heroin environments or forced to become sex workers.
You can give women the support they need to find a new direction and a safe home.
Katya's story
"I didn't want to be on the streets. It's embarrassing when people look at you, I didn't want to be there."
Sometimes you just put your head down thinking “People, if I don't see you, then you're not going to see me."
None of us pick up drugs or drink thinking, "I'm going to get addicted to this." I didn't ever know I was going to get addicted.
I was with someone who was doing heroin stupidly and I did a line of that. I have an eating disorder at first I was like, "Great, I don't have to stick my fingers down my throat," because my throat was getting sore.
That's the worst part: you lose everything.
That's what led me down the path of losing my house, and family. I'd sofa surf, just go anywhere that anyone would put me up really.
You lose all your stuff, everything that you can't carry with you, your clothes, photos, all your bits.
You can forget how to live in society, if that makes sense, when you live so long doing things a different way.
I don't want to go back to that life of sofa surfing, losing all my stuff. I’ve got clothes back again, I've got a room and a fridge of my own that I can go and get something out of it that I want. It's things like that you take for granted."
Without Homeless Oxfordshire I think I'd still be using. I wouldn't be as far forward as I am, like attending my courses, trying to make myself better, pay my TV license and stuff like that.
“I wouldn't feel strong enough to say, "No". Thanks to them I do feel now that I can.
How we're helping women
Increase Women only support - Homeless Oxfordshire are one of only 11% of accommodation projects able offer women only provision within their service across the UK.
- Empowered Women; Empower Women. Introduction of Peer Support Workers; women with lived experience building resilience
- Increased access to trauma informed support. Quality women-only support for a practical and emotional circumstances. Increased knowledge and awareness of the specific needs and approaches required to support women in a trauma informed way;
- Increase staff capacity to help more women suffering from trauma
- Promote more compassionate attitudes towards women, improved practice, enhanced partnership working, improved collaboration.
- Help women reconnect with their children. Losing custody of children can be the final straw that breaks the camel's back for many women.
You can continue to make a positive impact on women's lives in your local community. Help us raise £10,000 for women's services and make a difference to someone's life today.
How you can help
Ways to donate
Become a regular supporter, support women to get their lives and children back – help women feel safe and listened to.
Ways to raise money
Raise money with work mates and get your company to match money raised.
Set up Payroll giving at work.
Donate today to help someone like Katya find a new direction
About us
Our History
For Homeless Oxfordshire, our beginning was humble. In a shabby old school building, named Oxford Night Shelter, we provided overnight emergency accommodation to anyone that needed a warm bed and a roof over their head.
It was far from ideal. But we used what we had and gave it our all. With 12 people in each room, we were pushed but strived to provide the best service we could. We transformed classrooms into dormitories and provided everyone with food, washing facilities and as much support as possible.
Fast-forward 35 years and here we are the largest homeless accommodation provider across the county. Not only do we provide accommodation at our 56 bed hostel but we have 144 beds across the local community in 24 properties offering a full range of support.
Our Mission
To provide short term accommodation with access to high quality support and initiatives that enable people to have a safe space, in which they can begin to take control of their own lives and recover from homelessness.
Our Aim
Through the provision of a wide range of different types of accommodation, people will learn how to manage a tenancy, have improved self-esteem, a more positive self-identity and gain the skills that will enable them to move on, live and succeed with greater independence.
