After experiencing homelessness, Jay found shelter in social housing, but was met with the feeling as though the clock to move out started the moment he stepped through the door.
Archer Project were able to get Jay and others just like him back on their feet.
The Sheffield-based project collaborates with organisations such as Framework, NOMAD, Likewise, ASSIST, Snowdrop Project, and Sunday Centre, to help people move out of a homeless, or poor social housing situation and into permanent housing.
Jay Said: “I’m a different person today.
“When I first came to Archer Project I used to just sit, I was an empty shell. The council said because I’d got no ID ‘You don’t exist.’ I knew two people knew I was telling the truth, I existed: that’s you in the mirror.”
Archer Project helps people to progress away from homelessness by supporting individuals to develop independence, engage with health and wellbeing services, learn to identify and change negative behaviours, build confidence and self-esteem, and improve ability to tackle setbacks.
Homelessness doesn’t necessarily just mean sleeping on the street – it can be hidden through poor temporary housing conditions.
Jay said: “It’s a false economy just to say ‘Oh right we’ll put someone into a property and that’s the problem solved.’ If you put someone in the wrong property, yes they’re not ‘homeless’ but they could become homeless again.
“When I was in temporary accommodation, it was like being put on a bookshelf.”
Individuals such as Jay are supported to engage with organisations who arrange housing provision, and support people to stay in and manage their accommodation.
Social housing is offered by many companies across Sheffield such as Sanctuary and Green Bridge who are given charitable status by the Government so they do not have to pay VAT for the work they do.
Archer Project’s role in this is to provide vulnerable people a platform to move away from their dependency on social or temporary accommodation and therefore reduce the risk of ending up rough sleeping once again.
Tim Renshaw, the CEO of Archer Project, said: “If we look at the level of homelessness in both Sheffield and wider areas at the moment, and we know all the good work that is going on to move people away from homelessness – and still more people are coming to the streets.”
This comes amid a rising trend in homelessness across Sheffield. For instance, the government’s annual rough sleeping snapshot in autumn 2024 reported a 68% increase in the number of people sleeping on the city’s streets – and that figure likely only scratches the surface.
The Archer Project does aim to put a stop to this increase with the work they carry out and instead support a stable housing environment.
2024 was their busiest year to date, they supported 1,223 individuals and served 24,445 meals, a dramatic increase from 2023. Last year they also facilitated 205 therapeutic activities, and supported 27 Partner Volunteers in their Partnership Programme.
NOMAD is a partner of The Archer Project who look to move those supported by the project into suitable living conditions.
They focus on providing innovative housing and support services to help people transform their lives and achieve independence.
Karen Awdhali, Head of Services at NOMAD, said: “I took a phone call about a 19-year-old, and it made me think of my own son who was the same age at the time. The caller said, ‘If you don’t take his case, he’ll be on the street.’ That was the turning point for me.”
NOMAD’s average monthly referrals have more than doubled since November 2023.
The aim is then for care to be delivered to help people set strong foundations for readjusting to living in this stable accommodation.
This allows people like Jay to move off the streets and away from temporary living situations and into a permanent home.
“They helped me get my identity back – become who I am again.”
