Some of the people we work with are trapped in a spiral of offending. Without the right support and financial help when they come out of prison, many ex-offenders find themselves turning back to crime to get by.

There’s also a strong link between offending and homelessness, with one in six prisoners reporting being homeless before they are taken into custody.

Our specialist hostels support people leaving prison with a stable environment in which we can work with them to access support services and tackle the underlying issues that may be keeping them trapped in a cycle of offending.

We give people the opportunity to break the cycle, working with them not only to find places to live, but to gain the skills and qualifications they need to work towards independence.

In 2016-17 staff from our Housing Advice Worker (HAWK) service provided 2,253 sessions of housing advice to ex-offenders and supported 288 people into housing, including SHP’s own supported accommodation. Funded by and co-located within the National Probation Service, our HAWK workers assisted ex-offenders across 19 London boroughs.

We also delivered tenancy training to 32 people to equip them with the skills to live independently and maintain their own tenancies.

Without help, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today. Maybe I’d be on the streets.

Junior spent 30 months in prison, and found himself homeless when he was released. With the help of his support worker, Paul, Junior is now in his own flat and is currently working towards a qualification in IT.

Read Junior's story