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The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
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Homeless Connect

  • Status

    Received: on time

  • Income

    £2.2M

  • Spending

    £2.2M

Charity no. 103325 Date registered. 09/12/2015

Public benefits

To relieve, poverty, distress and sickness and improve the conditions of homeless people within N.I. The direct benefits which flow this purpose include; improved health, wellbeing, nutrition of vulnerable people and the alleviation of food poverty through the provision of our Fareshare project. There will be a healthier population among vulnerable

people and reduced costs of treating preventable diet related conditions in the NHS. Beneficiaries are organisations which provide food to vulnerable people who are in food poverty. Our service user project helps vulnerable people struggling with addictions to have improved welfare, enriched lives and gain emotional support from peers leading to fewer people in crisis. By our provision of starter packs to furnish homes and Keep Warm packs for rough sleepers, we will improve living standards for homeless people and give people the means to stay alive. To advance education on issues associated with homelessness for the public benefit. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose include; increased knowledge, skills and competencies in staff, volunteers and service users. Opportunities for volunteers to develop essential and transferrable employment skills, enabling them to move back into employment leading to independence. More people qualified to deliver First Aid and Naloxone (Opiate Overdose) leading to fewer deaths and less admissions to A&E. The charity’s beneficiaries include homeless people, those in danger of becoming homeless and organisations working with them, and indirectly benefits their families and friends. Those who also benefit from our services include people with addictions, mental health issues and young vulnerable people, Health services, PSNI and the general public. Homeless Connect will demonstrate these purposes through monitoring returns to funders. We carry out an annual survey with Homeless Connect members and the Regional Service User Network. Independent evaluations are also carried out on the RSUN and Fareshare. In the last 3 years Fareshare have provided 627,169 meals from surplus food and that the Social Return on Investment ratio is £1:£7.53. Training is evaluated by participants and a follow up survey is carried out after 6 months to assess the impact on their work. Our achievements can also be measured by the number of new service user groups which have been established with the charity's support. We also have bi-monthly member forums and ongoing focus groups which provide invaluable feedback. There is no harm from either of the purposes identified. The only incidental benefit flowing from these purposes is that staff and volunteers will acquire transferrable employment skills through training and experience which can improve their employment prospects; however this is necessary in order to achieve the overall benefit.

What your organisation does

Homeless Connect is an umbrella organisation. We aim to support our membership in delivering good quality services to homeless people through providing training, information, research, collective representation, communication, networks and technical support. We do this by encouraging sectors and organisations to work together for the benefit of the

client group and establish links with national homelessness agencies to follow best practice and innovation throughout UK. We work both strategically and operationally to develop and help implement ways in which to mitigate the impact of welfare reform on vulnerable people through provision of conferences, seminars and representation. Homeless Connect supports organisations to meet relevant accreditation standards by training staff and volunteers and evaluates the impact of training on service development and organisational practice. We organise the procurement and distribution of Keep Warm packs and Starter packs for homeless people and rough sleepers. Through our FareShare project, we divert surplus food from landfill to help vulnerable people who are in food poverty. We assist new volunteers in receiving accredited Basic Food Hygiene training, Health and Safety training, and accredited fork lift training.

The charity’s classifications

  • The prevention or relief of poverty
  • The advancement of education
  • The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage

Who the charity helps

  • Addictions (drug/solvent/alcohol abuse)
  • Adult training
  • Asylum seekers/refugees
  • Children (5-13 year olds)
  • Ethnic minorities
  • Homelessness
  • Men
  • Older people
  • Parents
  • Preschool (0-5 year olds)
  • Specific areas of deprivation
  • Tenants
  • Unemployed/low income
  • Voluntary and community sector
  • Volunteers
  • Women
  • Youth (14-25 year olds)

How the charity works

  • Accommodation/housing
  • Advice/advocacy/information
  • Education/training
  • Environment/sustainable development/conservation
  • General charitable purposes
  • Human rights/equality
  • Relief of poverty
  • Research/evaluation
  • Volunteer development

This display is a broad summary of the charity’s financial information. For a full understanding of the charity’s finances, the reader should view the PDF accounts and reports under the Documents tab above.

Income

£2.2M

Spending

£2.2M

Charity accounts & reports for financial year end 31 March 2024

Independent examiners report Charity accounts Trustee annual report

Charity accounts & reports for financial year end 31 March 2023

Independent examiners report Charity accounts Trustee annual report

Charity accounts & reports for financial year end 31 March 2022

Independent examiners report Charity accounts Trustee annual report

Charitable purposes

The company’s objects (“Objects) are specifically restricted to the following: - to relieve poverty, distress and sickness and improve the conditions of homeless life for people within Northern Ireland and, in particular for people who are homeless and those vulnerable to becoming homeless, who are in necessitous circumstances, and to advance education on issues associated with homelessness for the public benefit, and in furtherance of the these Objects: (a) to promote and improve the effectiveness of charities, voluntary and community groups, and other agencies in their provision of services to homeless peoplepeople who are homeless and those vulnerable to becoming homeless, by the provision of conferences, training, information, advice and other facilities, services or support; (b) to act as a representative body for those engaged in work with homeless peoplepeople who are homeless in relation to government policies and legislation and bring together in Council or conference or otherwise representatives of voluntary agencies, statutory authorities and other agencies involved with homeless peoplepeople who are homeless and provide a focus for mutual contact and co-operation amongst organisations involved with homeless peoplepeople who are homeless. - to prevent and relieve poverty amongst people in need in particular by the provision of supplies of goods and services.

Governing document

Memorandum and Articles

Other name


  • 8 Trustees
  • 24 Employees
  • 51 Volunteers

Contact details

Public address

  • Homeless Connect, Homeless Connect, Building 14, Units 2-4, Central Park, Mallusk, BT36 4FS

Trustee board

Trustee
Mr Mal Byrne
Mr Simon Geddis
Ms Maria Jennings
Mr Eddie Magowan
Mr Cormac Mcart
Mr Dermot Murphy
Anna Hettmannsperger
Brenda Parker

List of regions

  • In Northern Ireland
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