Homelessness: A POWERFUL MESSAGE FROM TEENS IN SHEFFIELD
Teenagers from Sheffield have spent part of their summer tackling their local issue of homelessness.
The group of nine young people, aged 16-17, have recently completed the ‘Keep Doing Good’ programme with Sheffield United Community Foundation (SUCF). The programme is part of the National Citizen Service’s (NCS) ‘One Million Hours of Doing Good’, a wider pledge to enable teens to take an active role in helping the country recover post COVID-19.
Having learned of a tragic fire at premises of local homelessness charity the Cathedral Archer Project and the wider issue of homelessness, the group was passionate about supporting the charity, and they wanted to do what they could to help.
Sherin, 16, explains what they wanted to achieve through their project,
“We want to help give the public a better understanding of what it is like to be homeless and to be more empathetic towards homeless people”
The team set to work by creating eye-catching and powerful messages on pieces of cardboard which included ‘This could be you’ and ‘Lonely’. They then looked to raise awareness by visiting popular iconic places within the city of Sheffield and taking photos of them with their signs and then shared throughout social media.
Sherin Continued
“We wanted the legacy of our project to raise awareness of Cathedral Archer Project as well as educating people on the reasons behind homelessness, in most cases it isn’t about no education or excessive use of drink and drugs”
Emily from the Cathedral Archer Project was delighted to have young people’s support,
“Raising awareness of homelessness is just as important to us, at the Cathedral Archer Project, as supporting people who find themselves homeless. The group of young people who got involved creating artwork and signs were amazing at spreading the word throughout Sheffield. Thank you for getting involved and for the amazing work raising awareness.”
Sheffield United Community Foundation (SUCF) are part of a network of local organisations delivering NCS ‘Keep Doing Good. So far young people taking part with SUCF have delivered 1,290 voluntary hours to make a positive impact in their community.
Reflecting on her experience on Keep Doing Good and social action project, Sherin said,
“This has been a once in a lifetime experience. I have really enjoyed taking part in ‘Keep Doing Good’ and looked forward to each day. It has got me out of the house and allowed me to give back to the community”
To find out more about Keep Doing Good, visit https://wearencs.com/keep-doing-good
