Groundswell - the reality of homelessness, from the people who have been there.

Fresh Paint audio insight 3: Solutions This insight audio has been created by Groundswell’s Surviving TA Action Group to help guide discussions about its immersive audio story about homelessness in London, Fresh Paint.  Find out more about Fresh Paint and the Surviving TA campaign:  www.groundswell.org.uk/community-voices   Fresh Paint and the audio stories are a  Made By Mortals  production, fund...

Fresh Paint audio insight 2: What are the barriers? This insight audio has been created by Groundswell’s Surviving TA Action Group to help guide discussions about its immersive audio story about homelessness in London, Fresh Paint.  Find out more about Fresh Paint and the Surviving TA campaign:  www.groundswell.org.uk/community-voices   Fresh Paint and the audio stories are a  Made By Mortals  pro...

Fresh Paint audio insight 1: Why are the five basics important? This insight audio has been created by Groundswell’s Surviving TA Action Group to help guide discussions about its immersive audio story about homelessness in London, Fresh Paint.  Find out more about Fresh Paint and the Surviving TA campaign:  www.groundswell.org.uk/community-voices   Fresh Paint and the audio stories are a  Made By...

Groundswell’s Surviving TA Action Group presents Fresh Paint - an immersive audio story about homelessness in London, told by people who have been through it themselves.   1 in 50 Londoners is currently stuck in 'temporary' accommodation (TA). Many for months and years, in conditions that seriously affect their health and wellbeing. 80 children died in TA in 2025, and that number keeps ris...

In our final episode of the Primary Share podcast series, Listen Up Project Officer Mat Amp talks to leading clinician and researcher in homeless and Inclusion Health, Dr Caroline Shulman about his experience accessing primary care.  Together they look at some of the barriers Mat has faced as an addict who experienced homelessness. Mat talks openly about his past and some of the trauma he has expe...

For Diabetes Awareness Week (10th-16th June), we're sharing this insightful conversation between actor, Gethin Anthony and Homeless Health Caseworker, Mark, around managing diabetes and other long-term conditions while experiencing homelessness. Their conversation covers the role of Groundswell's Homeless Health Peer Advocacy team and the work they do every day, the challenges of managing...

In our second episode of the Primary Share podcast series, Listen Up! community reporter Mark talks to Dr Caroline Shulman, leading clinician and researcher in homeless and inclusion health, about his experiences of accessing primary care.  Together they look back on Mark’s experiences of homelessness and severe mental ill-health. Mark explains the difference dual diagnosis has made to his life an...

We all   have a right to good health. Listening to people with experience of homelessness about the issues they have faced when accessing healthcare is key to finding solutions.   In the first episode of the Primary Share podcast series, hear from Listen Up! community reporters Mahesh, Yves, Shift, Mat and Mark. They talk about their experiences of accessing primary care with Dr Caroline Shulman,...

Following the Red Nose Day appeal which saw Prince William in conversation with Groundswell volunteer reporters Miles and Nawshin on their ‘Listen Up!' podcast, the full episode has been released discussing the issues around homelessness and how listening to stories can challenge misconceptions. Photo credit: credit Comic Relief/Daniel Loveday.

Title: Is it possible to fully recover? What aids recovery? Is recovery only about addiction? How do the views of others impact recovery? What does recovery look like? Can we recover on our own? These questions, and others like it, were pondered when Listen Up!’s community reporters met in 2022 to think about Recovery Month which takes place every September. Miles and Nawshin are community reporte...

Is it possible to fully recover? What aids recovery? Is recovery only about addiction? How do the views of others impact recovery? What does recovery look like? Can we recover on our own? These questions, and others like it, were pondered when Listen Up!’s community reporters met in 2022 to think about Recovery Month which takes place every September. Mat is a project officer and Mashesh a communi...

 Is it possible to fully recover? What aids recovery? Is recovery only about addiction? How do the views of others impact recovery? What does recovery look like? Can we recover on our own? Karen and Laura are community reporters with the Listen Up project; a lived experience-led project, kickstarting major change towards better healthcare access and life expectancy for people facing homelessn...

This podcast has been inspired by a research project conducted on behalf of Fulfilling Lives Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham; a nationwide project funded by the National Lottery Community fund that aims to support people with multiple disadvantage. It tests new ways of ensuring individuals receive joined up and person-led services which work for them. Multiple disadvantage in this case refers to pe...

This podcast has been inspired by a research project conducted on behalf of Fulfilling Lives Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham. Fulfilling Lives in a nationwide project funded by the national lottery community fund that aims to support people with multiple disadvantage. It tests new ways of ensuring individuals receive joined up and person-led services which work for them. Multiple disadvantage in th...

This podcast is based on research conducted by volunteers with experience of homelessness which explores the connection between benefits, health and homelessness. It illustrates how poor health can compound the challenges navigating the benefits system for people experiencing homelessness. This podcast features the voices of Groundswell staff and volunteers and is funded by Trust for London.

Over the last few months COVID-19 and the response to the pandemic has had a significant impact on people experiencing homelessness. The researchers and mobile reporters have made a podcast exploring peoples experiences so far. Groundswell have been working alongside people experiencing homelessness to ensure their views and experiences are represented and acted on. Our reference group of people w...

Working with our volunteers – people who have slept rough and those residing in hostels and temporary accommodation - Groundswell has developed resources to support people experiencing homelessness during the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. People experiencing homelessness are disproportionately affected by poor health and often face challenges accessing the healthcare and support th...

The prevalence of suicide amongst the homeless community is disproportionate to that of the general population. As part of the Comic Relief funded 'From the Ground Up' partnership between Groundswell and the Pavement magazine, volunteers with experience of homelessness were trained as peer journalists. They researched different organisations (Samaritans, CALM, #deardistressed, Maytree, Mind, For P...

Working whilst homeless was something the peer journalists wanted to explore - controversial yet seemingly common necessity for many people experiencing homelessness, despite their difficult circumstances. For most people working while homeless is really tough. But for others having a job, or regular volunteering, can help you stay afloat and integrate you into society. This podcast, created by vo...

People often say, “It’s such a shame that people are homeless and sleeping on the street”, but how does shame affect people who are homeless? What impact does shame have on the lives of those experiencing the realities of homelessness? And does society project its own feelings of shame about homelessness, on to people who are homeless? This podcast was created as part of the Comic Relief funded 'F...

In this podcast, we report how difficult it is to get help when you have a dual diagnosis, the medical term used when you have both mental health and addiction issues at the same time. This podcast is part of the Comic Relief funded 'From the Ground Up' partnership between Groundswell and the Pavement magazine, volunteers with experience of homelessness were trained as peer journalists. You can re...

Stigma plays a big part in the narrative around homelessness and the complex stories that land people in the situation. This podcast is recorded as part of the Comic Relief funded 'From the Ground Up' partnership between Groundswell and the Pavement magazine, where volunteers are trained to become peer journalists. Here they explore the stigma surrounding homelessness. 

“Many women feel they have nowhere to turn so often return to an abusive relationship, whether it be mental, sexual or violent,” says Jean in this podcast. “They may turn to alcohol or drugs, or sink into a deep depression, as they can see no way out. And there is the constant feeling of guilt and fear – the worry that children can be taken away from them at any time, despite trying to do your bes...

This podcast explores the health of women experiencing homelessness in London, directly from the voices of the women themselves. This is based on researched conducted by Groundswell to understand more about the health conditions women are facing and how their housing issues affect their health.