People of colour are disproportionately affected by homelessness. Systemic racism means that people of colour often face discrimination and barriers when it comes to securing adequate housing, well-paid employment, access to healthcare, and other support services.
Historically, homelessness services were designed around white, Western norms, which can make them inaccessible or unwelcoming for people of colour. There is often a lack of awareness or knowledge of the direct and systemic effects of racism or the need to build cultural competency within services.
Homelessness services should actively work to be anti-racist because systemic racism shapes who becomes homeless, how they are treated within services, and whether they can access fair and dignified pathways out of homelessness.
In this episode of the Going Beyond Podcast, we speak to:
- Martha Schofield, Senior Research Officer at Shelter
- Cuchulainn Sutton-Hamilton, Research and Evaluation Officer at Crisis
- Monica Cru-Hall, Creative Arts Therapist, Researcher and Author of ‘Made Homeless, not Hopeless’ and
- Alex Smith, Interim Head of National Practice Development at Homeless Link.
We talk about what research tells us about the rates of homelessness amongst people of colour and how their experiences of homelessness may be different. We go onto discuss what an anti-racist homelessness system looks like in practice and how services can be more culturally competent and responsive the needs of diverse groups.
For more information on supporting racially and ethnically marginalised people experiencing homelessness, read our guidance, which contains links to the Crisis and Shelter research reports discussed within this episode. We also have a range of resources on Equality Diversity & Inclusion and training on Race, Ethnicity and experiences of homelessness.
Listen to the episode below, or on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And make sure you check out the full back catalogue of Going Beyond podcasts.