NEWS
PHASES appear on the BBC 1 programme Britain’s Empty HomesIn March 2011 we appeared on the BBC 1 programme Britain’s Empty Homes. The programme featured our work at the flat in Brayards Road, Peckham, which was completed in June 2010. The work included removal of an internal wall and installation of new bathroom and central heating system. Three of our homeless trainees worked on the project. The flat is now let out to a single mum and her young son.
The programme edited out our name but it does refer to a "social enterprise charity" and there is a short interview with our training manager, Stuart Allen. See the clip below:
During 2010 we were funded (under our old name of ‘Advocates for the Homeless’) by a National Lottery stream called ‘Ecominds’, administered by the Mental Health charity MIND.
The project, named ‘Recycling Space’, was designed to teach construction and gardening skills to some of our homeless clients who had a history of mental distress. It ran at two separate venues:
Rotherhithe : Here, we have been renovating a former lock-up shop with attached residential flat, which had been empty for two years. As part of the Ecominds project, trainees:
- Practised their painting and decorating skills in the flat
- Created a paved garden area with raised flower beds
- Worked on developing our construction training space
Successes of the Project
- Over the year, 20 different volunteers were involved with the project, 15 of these having had direct experience of mental distress
- We estimate that a further 40 people benefitted indirectly through the project
- Three of the trainees have gone on to find paid employment
- Five others have gone on to further voluntary work and another two into education
- During 2011 the training space at Rotherhithe will be completed for future training sessions