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If you watch the news on a daily basis you’ll see the things that are going wrong in the UK. We constantly hear about problems such as Brexit and other political crisis, but there are plenty of more important problems within local communities such as poverty and homelessness.
It is these problems that you don’t need to see on the news, and can instead see in the day to day lives of those around us, which is devastating. However, there is hope and there are people out there willing to help those in need. Things such as food banks, support for the homeless and academies that help offenders learn vital life skills are popping up all over the country.
Much of the funding for these things comes from tax-payers. Nevertheless, there are some companies like Car.co.uk that work with charities and organisations to fund the great work they do which means fewer people are suffering on a regular basis.
The facts
People aren’t just saying things are getting worse, there are facts and statistics to prove it. Currently, over 320,000 people in the UK are affected by homelessness, meaning they have nowhere to live. This means that people are not able to apply for work, healthcare, or other essentials as they have no registered address which can lead to a whole host of problems.
It doesn’t stop there. As well as the hundreds of thousands of homeless people, 6 million of us in the UK are living in poverty. This doesn’t mean not being able to buy all of the things you want, this means not being able to afford food. The number of children going to school hungry is increasing, and this is a terrible start to life.
One further problem we are facing in the UK is not just the amount of crime, but the number of re-offences that are occurring. 60% of offenders go on to re-offend once they have been released from prison, which is a huge number that needs to be reduced as soon as possible. It is problems such as these that are having a negative effect on society and how people live. Fortunately, it looks like change is coming.
Residential programmes
For homeless people, the problem isn’t just finding a bed to sleep on, it is also having a strong support network to help them rebuild their lives again. With these new residential programmes, not only are homeless people given somewhere to live, they are put through a system where they are educated in an area of their interest. From this, they are offered employment and 1-1 support helps them to find their own accommodation so they can start afresh.
HMP Academies
HMP Academies have been set up in some HM Prisons to help prisoners learn vital life skills so they are prepared once they are released. The programme entails prisoners being offered work within the prisons which offers them a financial incentive to learn these skills. From here, there are several workshops available to teach vocational skills and give the prisoners a good chance of employment afterwards with their newly received qualifications.
Food re-distribution
Food banks and school breakfast clubs would not be able to run without food re-distribution. These organisations and charities liaise with companies to track down surplus food and then send it to charities where it is made into meals. From here the meals are distributed throughout schools and other important places.
Things are changing and for the better. As a country, we are pitching together to help those in need through the likes of funding and charity work. So, next time someone is all doom and gloom, tell them about the amazing things that are going on right on their doorstep.
