Peer Advocacy: Improving Healthcare Access for Homeless Individuals
Peer advocacy plays a crucial role in assisting individuals experiencing homelessness to navigate healthcare systems, understand their health needs, and access necessary support. Organizations like Groundswell engage volunteers with lived experience to provide services such as GP registration, appointment reminders, and drug and alcohol support. The shared experiences of peer advocates help build trust and establish meaningful relationships with homeless individuals, fostering a supportive environment for addressing health issues. If you have personal experience with homelessness and wish to make a difference, consider volunteering as a Peer Advocate in London.
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Presentation Transcript
The role of peer advocacy in helping people experiencing homelessness access healthcare
About Groundswell Participation of people with lived experience of homelessness at our core Opportunities for people to contribute to society and create solutions to homelessness.
A little bit about me Serial volunteer Volunteer Peer Researcher on Groundswell s women s health research in 2019 Lambeth Care Navigator since 2020
About Homeless Health Peer Advocacy (HHPA) HHPA = volunteers and staff with experience of homelessness support people experiencing homelessness to understand their health issues, access healthcare and engage with the support they need. GP registration Ensuring people understand their health and their rights Phone calls/welfare calls Appointment reminders Travel support Drug and alcohol Accessing medication Connection between health and homelessness services
Why peer advocacy? Shared experience of homelessness People often don t trust professionals Build trust and relationships over shared experience We ve been there and understand what they re going through
Elsewhere (run by partners): Birmingham (Crisis) Bradford (Bevan) Cornwall (Cornwall Housing) Dublin (DePaul) Exeter (CoLab) Leeds (Bevan) Luton (Signposts) Manchester (Shelter) Newcastle (Crisis) Where is HHPA? London (run by Groundswell): Camden Hackney Tower Hamlets Hammersmith & Fulham Kensington & Chelsea Greenwich Westminster Islington Lambeth Contact: rachel.brennan@groundswell.org.uk Contact: hhpa@groundswell.org.uk
And finally: were looking for new volunteer Peer Advocates in London! The person will: Be fully trained by Groundswell Have expenses associated with training and volunteering covered Be supported to access further training Receive help with identifying and developing skills, and building a CV The person must: Have personal experience of homelessness Be free from active addictions Be able to attend training from 6th July Be able to volunteer their time regularly Have access to the internet Have a phone they can use regularly More information: recruitment@groundswell.org.uk or groundswell.org.uk F
