Case Study: funding East Belfast Mission’s holistic approach to homelessness

For many, the prospect of becoming homeless feels unlikely, but for those made homeless through unexpected circumstances - such as losing a private rental, their job, or fleeing war – they know how precarious housing can be. For Paul, an East Belfast Mission client, it was when his 20-year marriage became hostile, affecting both his physical and mental health. Paul knew it was time to leave, “I just packed my bag one morning. Walked out. Didn’t know where I was going”.

After “sofa-surfing” at a friend’s house for a couple of weeks, Paul contacted Belfast’s Housing Executive and was moved around three hostels in Belfast city centre. It was at his final hostel, where he felt unsafe and dejected, that Paul thought back to East Belfast Mission - an organisation he was familiar with from growing up in the area.

“I made contact just by phoning East Belfast Mission, who then asked my circumstances and said somebody would phone me back and - credit to them – within an hour, Caroline had phoned me back. She went through everything, brought me in to see Mary who did an assessment with me. And basically, from there, the ball just started rolling.”

Within three months Paul was offered a room at Hosford.

What is Hosford Homelessness Services?

For over 25 years, Hosford Homelessness Services (part of East Belfast Mission) has been providing services to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Their mission is to provide accommodation and support to help people break free from homelessness, maintain their independence, and realise their potential.

Tom Dinnen, Hosford Homelessness Services Manager, explains: “We have a 26-room hostel; 12 ensuite rooms on the ground floor with shared kitchen and living space, and then 14 apartments above. These are great for people who need the security of somewhere with 24/7 support.

“And then we have Hosford Community Homes which are homes in the community. That way, people have their own front door key, their own house, they can get on with their life and work, but they have support there if they need it.”

Benefact Trust's funding support

In 2021, Benefact Trust awarded East Belfast Mission a £90,000 Methodist Grant* towards their 240 Newtownards Road project. A Hosford Community Homes development turning a derelict office building into six studio apartments with a ground floor community centre. This redevelopment has created additional move‑on options for people transitioning out of the hostel.

With the development of 240 Newtownards Road now complete, Tom and his team are working to replicate the project, “this is our first big capital project, but we are already working on a business case for the next project which is a charity shop down the road that we want to convert into a social enterprise space and two apartments.”.

After spending time at Hosford’s hostel, East Belfast Mission helped Paul secure his own accommodation, but their support didn't end there. Aside from housing solutions, Hosford also offers preventative services to stop people from becoming homeless or falling back into homelessness. This includes tenancy support where individuals can access one-to-one guidance if they are struggling with their tenancy.

For Paul and the many men and women being supported through Hosford Homelessness Services, finding housing is just the first step on the road to rebuilding their lives, which is where East Belfast Mission’s holistic response comes in.

Taking a holistic approach to homelessness in Belfast

For East Belfast Mission, supporting those experiencing homelessness does not start and end at housing. In fact, providing services such as counselling and employment support is an integral part of giving people ‘the building blocks to maintain their independence’.

Through their mental health and wellbeing service they offer one-to-one and group support tailored to meet the needs of their clients. A service that Paul himself benefits from.

“Jenny is fantastic, I see her once a week for a chat about my mental health…just to offload really. It’s just knowing that you have that support, because when I moved in I would suffer with isolation…I have never lived on my own. Jenny’s helped me through that.”

East Belfast Mission also linked Paul with their employability service, Belfast Works Connect, which supports people who are facing challenges to employment, helping them with one-to-one mentoring, training courses, and even long-term work.

A brighter future for those experiencing homelessness

So, what does the future look like for those supported by East Belfast Mission?

Paul is now volunteering in Refresh Café (an East Belfast Mission social enterprise) every week and loves working with the team and clients. His experience shows how integrated support can break the cycle of homelessness and create long-term stability.

Thank you to Paul for sharing your story. For more about East Belfast Mission visit: https://ebm.org.uk/

Are you fundraising for a similar project? Find out more about our grant programmes here: https://www.benefacttrust.co.uk/grants/

*Benefact Trust’s Methodist Grants programme is funded by donations from Methodist Insurance PLC. Find out more about the programme here.

Note: To protect Paul's privacy, this case study uses two stock images. It does not depict the individual described.