Homelessness projects

As a student in Manchester you will have noticed that homelessness is a big problem in the city. The good news is that volunteering is one of the best ways to help and there are loads of opportunities for you to get involved in, whatever your skills and interests.

Recently Manchester’s charities and organisations working in homelessness, along with other city leaders, faith groups, businesses, health groups, the city council, the police, the universities and others have all come together to form the Manchester Homelessness Partnership in a collective effort to end homelessness in the city.

The result is an agreement on the most effective ways to support individuals in moving on from a life on the street and finding long-term solutions.

What can I do?

The University’s Volunteering and Community Engagement Team works together with organisations and groups within the Manchester Homelessness Partnership to identify their needs and how student volunteers can help in positive and meaningful ways.

The typical picture of volunteering in homelessness is street kitchens and soup runs, but charities are now focusing on finding long-term solutions to help people out of a life on the street and into long-term accommodation, work and a more positive, sustainable lifestyle.

There is a huge range of opportunities for students to volunteer in homelessness. Charities are always looking for students who can volunteer their time, knowledge and experience – this area of volunteering could give you a chance to make a difference by using your specific skills and interests.

The Volunteering and Community Engagement Team has close links with a number of homelessness charities including Riverside, Mustard Tree, Barnabus and more. If you’re interested in finding out more about how to volunteer in homelessness, please get in touch.

You can find out more about how your volunteering fits into Manchester’s co-ordinated strategy for ending homelessness using the links on the left.