Written by Beth Richardson, Talent Scout for Manchester - Standing Tall (August 2023)

The problem

In the UK today, thousands of people are experiencing homelessness or insecure housing. When you think of homelessness, you might think of people sleeping rough who have substance misuse or mental health issues. Given the sensationalised way homelessness is depicted in the media, that wouldn’t be surprising. There are people in Manchester today who fit that description. But there are also people who have lost their home through a relationship breakdown, or became homeless having fled their country as a refugee, or who lost their job and simply couldn’t find another one fast enough. A phrase which is often thrown around is that we’re all ‘one pay cheque away from homelessness’; in today’s financial climate, this is surely more accurate than ever. 

The problem with homelessness as a community issue is that it’s often hard to know how to help. When we do try and help, we might hear:

• Giving cash feeds addiction.
• Only offering to buy food takes away the individual’s choice.
• They want to be homeless!
• They aren’t really homeless, they’re just looking for cash.

Hundreds of fantastic organisations support those experiencing homelessness with food, temporary shelter and clothes. The work done by these organisations is crucial at tackling the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness. However, the bigger picture takes a back seat to these more basic human needs. Breaking free from the cycle of homelessness is a huge task, especially with the trappings of our benefit and supported accommodation systems, making it harder for people to start working full time while living safely and affordably.

Our solution

At Standing Tall, we support individuals with a sustainable way out of homelessness forever.

We know that it’s almost impossible to hold down a full-time job when sleeping on the streets or in a bustling shelter. We also know that living in a comfortable, affordable and safe environment is unattainable without a steady income. Therefore, these three strands are equally important to effectively support people out of homelessness for good:

1. Individuals are genuinely ready for full-time work.
2. Employers are understanding, supportive and provide a real living wage.
3. Safe accommodation is provided at a sustainable rate.

In each of our three cities (Manchester, London and Birmingham) we work closely with other homelessness organisations and charities to find strong candidates. In Manchester, there is a real culture of collaboration and support amongst homelessness organisations and other support charities. Support workers at organisations such as The Booth Centre, Salford Loaves & Fishes, Mustard Tree, Lifeshare and Caritas spend months getting to know those who use their services. They are then best placed to link in with me, Standing Tall’s Manchester Talent Scout, to refer a skilled and talented person who is looking for full-time employment.

Over several weeks, I then meet with the candidate, learning about them and their employment ambitions. Following DBS checks, I begin matching them with responsible employers Standing Tall have connected with.

When they start their new job, I support them to move in with one of our local, trained Amici Hosts, who they live with for 6 months. This gives them time to build up a glowing rental reference and save for their own private rental. Standing Tall walks alongside them throughout this process, ensuring they have the support necessary to stay off the streets for good.

White-glove recruitment service and a chance to change lives

This might sound like a nice idea in theory, but how do you know it’s safe as an employer? When you recruit talent through Standing Tall, you get the safety and reassurance of a proven model we’ve been developing and fine-tuning for four years.

We provide:

• Six months of background – our trusted referral partners will have known the candidate for at least six months and know their strengths.
• Six weeks of our own assessments – our Talent Scouts work with candidates 1-1 for six weeks before making introductions. As part of this process, we take care of DBS checks.
• Meticulous matching – we take care to understand your business and available roles so we can match you with the right person.
• A zero-risk service – Standing Tall employs your new teammate on your behalf for the first three months to give you time to make sure it’s a good fit before they’re taken on as a fulltime staff member.
• A strengths-based approach to rebuild self-esteem – our Talent Scouts stay in regular contact with the candidate, their Line Manager and their Amici Host to make sure everyone is happy at every stage of our service delivery.

The results

We are thrilled to say that Standing Tall’s unique approach is working. A year later, 80% of our candidates are off the streets and in the same job.

In Manchester, we need more responsible employers to partner with us and hire our talented candidates.

We’re particularly interested in the construction, hospitality, manufacturing, and retail sectors, but our team will be delighted to hear from any employers who are keen to get involved!

Beth Richardson

Talent Scout for Manchester

beth@standingtall.org.uk