What is your role at Emmanuel House?
I’ve been working as a Marketing and Fundraising Assistant since 2017. I work in a team of 3 people.
My main aims are:
- To raise awareness around the issues of homelessness and the services offered by Emmanuel House.
- To develop opportunities for fundraising and facilitate these amongst supporters.
- To provide up to date information on donations and volunteering.
How long have you been working for Emmanuel House and why do you do what you do?
Before this role I worked as a Volunteer Manager for a local charity that supports vulnerable women. Before that I worked as a Senior Support Worker for the Salvation Army. In my experience humans are very complex and so is life. I understand how a series of difficult circumstances can leave a person disempowered mentally and physically, without a healthy support system and diminishing resources to improve their own situation. I don’t think that any of us are meant to do this on our own and we need each other to move towards positive change, recovery and progress.
Thousands of people in the UK are experiencing homelessness in one form or another, every day. It has always been important to me to do meaningful work that contributes to reducing the suffering in the world. I believe that every human being has equal value and has a right to living a fulfilling life.
What impact does your work have on someone who is at risk?
I particularly enjoy finding ways to present information to a variety of groups in creative and engaging ways. Most recently I’ve been working on a pocket flyer for people who are experiencing homelessness, in crisis or rough sleeping. It outlines the services provided by Emmanuel House so people know where they can come to get their basic needs met and talk to our specialised support staff team. When it’s finalised we hope to circulate it around the city.
A big part of what we do as a team is presenting information about the support services at Emmanuel House to schools, faith groups, community groups, individuals and businesses so that people can understand the need for their support and how every person can play a part in making a difference to people’s lives.
Can you give an example of a difference that you made at Emmanuel House recently?
I think that education is vital in breaking down barriers and stereotypes. We’ve created a pack for ‘making a difference’ in schools to educate children about what homelessness means, how it can happen and how to find help when we need it. It’s important to help children to make sense of their own personal experiences and to validate what they perceive to be happening in the world around them.
It is often surprising to know that rough sleeping is just the tip of the iceberg. Many more people are living in accommodation that is temporary, unsuitable, overcrowded and are in need of something more stable, secure and long term.
We have also been running a project with the Fashion Design Level 1 course at NTU for the last 3 years. The students are given a brief to create an outerwear garment for someone who is rough sleeping using ‘textile waste’ from the clothing donations at EH. The results have been fantastic, exposing young designers to the issues that people experiencing homelessness face and also the reality of the textile waste in our society. Our beneficiaries have received many well considered designs to keep them warm whilst they are experiencing homelessness.
How does your role impact the wider community in the city of Nottingham?
I see particular value in raising awareness amongst young people. School visits, university projects and when we open our centre to the public for social or fundraising events makes an impact. When we talk about homelessness and the associated issues it brings it forward into our consciousness, so it is no longer something we are blind to or can ignore. Lots of people see what is happening but they don’t know what to do, so they do nothing. If we are inspired to do something to help make a difference and have the means to raise awareness, donate, fundraise or volunteer then we are part of the solution.
I think that Emmanuel House gains the respect of so many people in Nottingham because the values that the organisation is founded on are so compelling – that all people are entitled to kindness, dignity and respect. Each person is unique and of value. Everyone can choose to make positive changes in their lives. Everyone is entitled to have their basic human needs met and be able to access food, water, sleep, safety, financial resources to be independent, welcome, love and belonging and support to reach their full potential.
If you’d like to get in touch with Gill about her outreach work or fundraising, send her an email: gill@emmanuelhouse.org.uk.
