London, England – According to new figures released by London Councils, the number of Londoners living in temporary accommodation has reached an all-time high of 183,000. This means that at least one in 50 Londoners are currently experiencing homelessness. The figures also reveal that there is at least one child in every classroom in London who is living in temporary accommodation.
In response to this alarming trend, a collaborative project between Groundswell, temporary accommodation residents, and local council staff in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea has been launched. This innovative project uses theatre as a means of engaging with and addressing the issue of temporary accommodation.
During a performance and debate attended by over 60 residents and staff, councillors and senior staff from Kensington & Chelsea agreed on policy proposals in three key areas: resident experience, triage and support, and staff systems and support. These proposals were reached following a legislative theatre (LT) programme, which held its final performance at The Tabernacle Theatre.
The project aimed to find ways to improve the current experience of the temporary accommodation system. It achieved this by facilitating conversations between people with lived experience of homelessness and housing options officers. The performance highlighted some of the key challenges faced by residents, and through audience interaction and debate, called for changes in policies and systems related to temporary accommodation. The project also aimed to encourage the co-production of potential solutions to address the temporary accommodation crisis affecting so many people.
Joanne Drew, Co-Chair of the London Housing Directors’ Group, commented, “London is facing a homelessness emergency, with more than one in 50 residents of the capital currently living in temporary accommodation. Boroughs are doing their best to support homeless Londoners, and projects like this are important for listening to and learning from the lived experience of those in temporary accommodation. We are determined to improve the experience of temporary accommodation for Londoners and to work with partners to tackle homelessness in the capital.”
Cllr Sof McVeigh, Lead Member for Housing in Kensington & Chelsea, added, “For the thousands of households across London waiting year after year in temporary accommodation, the very definition of ‘temporary’ is stretched. We are working hard to help more and more people leave temporary accommodation behind, but we know that the system also needs radical solutions. It is really important to hear directly from our residents about their ideas for improvement and to better understand the pressures that Council staff are under in the face of ever-growing demand.”
Dan Hawthorn, Kensington & Chelsea Council’s Executive Director of Housing and Social Investment, stated, “This was my first experience of legislative theatre and I was really struck by how it made space for a discussion where the perspectives of residents, staff, senior managers, and other practitioners from outside the Council were all given equal time and equal weight. It was a particular privilege to be part of the ‘Policy Team’. It was challenging at times, but I got a huge amount out of seeing and thinking about the range of constructive suggestions that everyone made.”
Thienhuong Nguyen, Home-Start Scheme Manager, spoke passionately about families living in temporary accommodation in Kensington & Chelsea, stating, “Not having a choice of where you live is incredibly difficult. But for families having to live in unsuitable temporary accommodation and then be expected to be the best parent possible…the pressure that both children and parents are under is extraordinary. Families supported by Home-Start WKCHF show incredible strength to tolerate in the most challenging housing circumstances. Their courage and determination in sharing their stories needs to be matched by our courage in listening and creating real positive fundamental changes. Groundswell’s Legislative Theatre brings these issues to light in a way that no document can.”
The final performance of the project celebrated the journey participants experienced together and provided a space for constructive dialogue, enabling people to work together to create real change. At the end of the event, a Policy Team, comprised of Councillor Claire Simmonds, Executive Director for Housing and Social Investment Dan Hawthorn, and other staff, residents, and charity leaders from the borough, each made a pledge as a result of what was discussed and presented on the day. These pledges will be implemented or progressed within the next six weeks. Some of the key themes identified during the event included funding limitations and needs, staff and resident well-being, interaction styles, accountability, technological issues, and cross-working.
Katy Rubin, a legislative theatre practitioner who co-led the process, stated, “Legislative Theatre is an innovative participatory policy-making practice with a strong track record of success among local and regional governments in the UK and internationally. After receiving awards in Greater Manchester and Medway for innovative participatory policymaking, it’s exciting to see Kensington and Chelsea Council and residents join this growing movement, collaborating across various roles and experiences to jointly improve services. This is, hopefully, just the beginning of a creative, arts-based participatory democracy tradition in Kensington and Chelsea.”
Michael Chandler, CEO of Groundswell, commented
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