How growing up with vulnerable sister inspired head of Leeds homelessness charity to help others

Jackie’s story is one of twelve shared on the website of Leeds-based charity Turning Lives Around.

The organisation does, in essence, what it says on the tin, working to prevent homelessness and empower vulnerable people to believe that they can change their lives and live independently.

Steve Hoey has been at the helm for six months, having taken up post as CEO in September last year. "In some cases we are literally taking people off the street and helping them to not be homeless, in other cases we’re part of the journey,” he says. “

The charity provides housing support, hostels and other accommodation but Turning Lives Around is also about helping people to develop employment and practical skills to set them on a new path.

Jackie, who had spent time in prison, came across the charity through some of its partnership work, a scheme with the Basis sex work project.

The scheme aims to provide people with a home whilst helping them to access healthcare to deal with addiction and mental health issues and supporting them with education and career goals.

Every year, Turning Lives Around works with around 1,000 people, Steve says, including rough sleepers, care leavers and alcohol-dependent women.

Many who need its support are already homeless, with others at risk, struggling to find and keep homes due to such factors as drug and alcohol misuse, criminal behaviour, mental health issues and poverty.

“A lot of the problem is financial,” Steve reflects. “If you can’t pay rent, you get evicted. Because of what we’ve seen in the past few years with austerity, the cost of living crisis, Covid hitting a lot of people hard, inflation going up and up, and rents being high, people are struggling - to pay their bills, heat their homes and pay their rent. People are ending up in debt and losing their homes.”

“Most people who are homeless have had troubled childhoods,” he adds. “They have been abused, traumatised or been through the care system and that, combined with other factors plus health and psychological issues, often leads to their predicament.”

Steve’s passion for his work stems from his own childhood, growing up in Birmingham with his sister Joanne. His younger sibling is partially deaf, partially sighted and has autism. "I really love my sister and it gave me a compassion for people who are vulnerable which has stuck with me through my whole life,” he reflects.

Steve moved to Leeds to study at university in the early 1990s. He started volunteering for Caring For Life charity, working predominantly with young homeless men, and then after graduating, took a role at St George’s Crypt in the city, working in its night shelter, which provides emergency accommodation.

Positions with Caring For Life’s resettlement programme and Canopy Housing followed before Steve then became CEO for Leeds Community Homes and People Powered Homes where he oversaw the development of community-led affordable and sustainable housing in Leeds.

“My early career was spent working directly with homeless people, so this job at Turning Lives Around is almost like coming full circle,” he says.

Demand for the charity’s services has never been higher and “people aren’t just coming to us with one or two issues,” Steve explains.

“More and more, it’s people with lots of issues and we will help the people most in need. In the city, that’s what all the partnerships are trying to do - get the most vulnerable people off the streets and into settled, independent living.”

The needs of those already accessing the charity’s support are also expected to increase. Rising bills for energy, food and other essentials can lead to more rent arrears, criminal behaviour and physical and mental health issues, the charity says.

High priority for Steve is also tackling the charity’s own challenges – and that includes funding.

He is partway through a personal fundraising challenge to climb the equivalent of the height of Mount Everest, whilst the charity as a whole is working towards becoming a registered provider of social housing to bring in more funds and expand its services.

“We need to look at how we are funded and find alternative sources of income to complement our existing funding streams,” Steve says.

“We are also looking at fundraising opportunities which will not only increase income but raise our profile and awareness of what we do.”

“All of my colleagues are working their socks off and our services are still delivering really good outcomes,” he states. “It’s calm on the surface but people’s legs are kicking like crazy underneath to keep up.”

The impact that Turning Lives Around has on people like Jackie is what keeps staff motivated. And for Steve, his much-loved sister Joanne is never far from his thoughts.

“My love for her has translated into my passion for my work. I really do care about vulnerable people, homeless people, social injustice and trying to do everything we can for those people in society who have had a really rough ride and raw deal…

"People need our compassion and support and that keeps me going everyday. That’s what it’s all about.”

Visit www.turninglivesaround.co.uk

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