Pledge to help tackle homelessness in Manchester signed

20 Oct 2016

The University and the Students’ Union have signed a joint pledge to tackle homelessness in Manchester

The Pledge took place on the day of the Volunteering and Social Justice Festival at a special event organised by the Students’ Union. 

A new Homelessness Charter has been co-created by people across Manchester who have experience of homelessness and organisations which provide support to overcome their challenges. 

Organisations and individuals have been asked to make pledges to help tackle homelessness. The University’s pledge seeks to: 

1) support our significant student body to make a difference to homelessness;

2) work with partner organisations in our region to support pathways for people with experience of homelessness into employment; 

3) identify opportunities to contribute our research expertise on issues relating to homelessness; 

4) adopt the values of the Manchester homeless charter and ensure we are receptive to continually improving our working practices, partnerships and awareness of homelessness across our city.

Director of Social Responsibility Dr Julian Skyrme said: “This pledge on student engagement, employment opportunities, research and our wider culture commits us to working in partnership with others who wish to tackle homelessness.”

Sorcha Floyd, Campaign and Citizenship Officer at the Students’ Union, said: “We are pleased and proud to publicly commit to continue and develop the crucial voluntary, fundraising and awareness-raising work that students do to help tackle homelessness, which is more vital today than ever.”

Find out more about the Manchester Homelessness Charter and what organisations and individuals are doing to tackle homelessness.

(L-R: Naa Acquah, General Secretary, University of Manchester Students' Union, Dr Julian Skyrme, Director of Social Responsibility, Sorcha Floyd, Campaign and Citizenship Officer, University of Manchester Students' Union).