Healthwatch Gloucestershire's Hidden Homelessness Project
Our project: Understanding barriers to health and social care access for individuals with experience of hidden homelessness
We are looking to hear from people who have experience of living in unstable, unsafe, or temporary housing which could lead to being hidden from support services. This may include people who are:
- Sofa surfing (staying with family or friends on sofas/in spare rooms/on floors)
- Rough sleeping out of sight e.g. walking around all night, staying in rural areas, staying 'hidden' and/or not seeking help from services
- People sleeping in offices, cars, warehouses and sheds
Why are we doing this research?
Our aim is to gather detailed information about the challenges and obstacles people with housing difficulties face when trying to access health and social care services and the impact their housing situation has on their physical, mental and social health. The insight we gather will help us advocate for better services in Gloucestershire by developing actionable recommendations that will be presented to health and social care services.
The information we collect will be kept strictly confidential. All data collected will be anonymised and used solely for the purpose of this research and we will not collect any identifiable information.
How can I take part?
We want to make it as easy as possible for you to share your experiences, so there are a variety of ways in which you can have your say. Some of these include:
- Completing our online survey
- Meeting up in person with a member of our team
- Chatting with us via text message or WhatsApp (or any other similar platform)
- Talking over the phone
Give us a call on 0800 652 5193 or send an email to info@healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk if you would like to find out more.
A member of our team will also be visiting various community centres, groups and organisations across Gloucestershire to listen to people's experiences. We will post updates across our social media platforms to share more information about these visits.
If you would like us to visit a community centre or organisation near you, please feel free to reach out. You can find our contact details above or by clicking here.
