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Living with Stonewall Housing

Stonewall Housing provides support in six shared housing projects across 4 London Boroughs, and each of them is quite different. Here is what you can expect if you come and live with us.

Highgate

The Stonewall Housing hostel in Highgate is home to six young LGBT people and has two shared kitchens, two shared bathrooms and a laundry room. One of the bedrooms has its own kitchenette.

The hostel is in a pleasant residential area near Highgate Woods and has a good selection of small local shops and cafes nearby. The Jackson Lane Community Arts Centre is close by, and Highgate and Muswell Hill are both a short bus ride away. There is easy access to central London from Archway tube.

Current clients spend their days in work and studying at college. Others are involved in various LGBT youth groups.

Nick is the Supported Housing Officer at Highgate, and he says, “There is a good mix of people in the house, and everyone gets on well. My favourite part of the job is being able to offer advice and help them to resolve any problems they have.”

East Ham

The East Ham project is aimed exclusively at gay, bisexual and trans men, and houses six people in its three two-bedroom flats.

East Ham has a thriving multicultural community, which is the most diverse in London, according to Newham Council. Good shopping facilities include cheap pound stores as well as your favourite high street names, and leisure facilities including a large leisure centre with a swimming pool and gym. The notorious White Swan bar is also nearby!

Current clients study, work and go to various gay youth groups. Ron is the Supported Housing Officer for East Ham, and he asked some of the clients how they feel about living there:

“I think it’s good that I can live in a gay project where people understand me.”

“Stonewall Housing has given me the security I needed after four years of not having anywhere stable. I am much happier now.”

Ron's favourite part of the job is “seeing young people regain their confidence and get on with their lives”.

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Finsbury Park

The project in Finsbury Park is women-only accommodation, housing nine lesbian, bisexual and trans women. There are two communal bathrooms, two shower rooms, two shared kitchen/sitting rooms, a laundry room and a large rear garden.

The local area is cosmopolitan and has good access to central London with Finsbury Park station a stone’s throw away. There are lots of places to eat and go out in locally.

Current clients either work or study subjects including music, painting and decorating, motorcycle maintenance, sports coaching and nursing. Some are also involved in LGBT youth groups and a couple access support at other LGBT organisations.

Francesca is the Supported Housing Officer at Finsbury Park, and she says, “most of the clients get along and benefit immensely from having support and living in an LGBT project, as many of them have suffered harassment, violence and family estrangement before coming here because of their sexuality”.

Francesca asked one of her clients what living in a Stonewall Housing hostel means to her. She said, “living here has given me a chance to meet other young gay women and sort my life out a bit.”

Francesca likes working with the clients because “every day is different and I have the flexibility to work in different ways with different clients to meet their needs. Watching them gain confidence and achieve things for themselves is always good. I enjoy taking clients out and about to link up with projects and support networks”

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Stoke Newington

Stonewall Housing has two projects in Stoke Newington, one for black and minority ethnic (BME) people and one that is mixed.

Both projects are in a quiet residential part of Stoke Newington and are close to Clissold Park. There are lots of nice shops and restaurants on Stoke Newington Church Street, and there is easy access by bus to central London. Finsbury Park and Manor House tubes are both 5 minutes walk away.

The BME project has three separate flats with five people living there. Current clients either study or work, and like the area they live in. One client told us that they “like living with other black LGBT people”.

Diana is the Supported Housing Officer at the BME hostel in Stoke Newington. She likes working with the clients because they are so engaging. She says, “I am a Leo and I love music. I have a no nonsense approach to my work but a sense of humour that goes a long way”.

The mixed project also has three flats, one for three people, and two with two people in them. Current clients are quite a diverse bunch, with some working in finance and housing, and another studying fashion.

There are two part-time Supported Housing Officers at the mixed house, Andrea and Anne-Marie. They asked some of their clients what living at the project means to them:

"Stonewall Housing helped me move from Wales. From day one my support worker showed me around London. She is helping me improve my confidence and self esteem. I like living here because it is close to town and there is a bus stop right outside my house "

"Stonewall Housing has helped me a lot. I’m no longer living with my dad in a hostile environment. I get more support than I would get at home, I have a better sense of independence, more freedom and can meet other young people who are LGBT".

Anne-Marie says that her favourite part of working with the clients is “seeing young people who have been rejected because of their sexuality find a safe space to live and flourish, and seeing them make achievements that make differences to their lives.”

Andrea says that she enjoys “supporting and helping my clients to sort out any problems and difficulties they have. I like getting to know the clients and building up positive trusting relationships with them”.

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Holloway

The Holloway project houses eight people in its four flats. All the flats are self-contained and have two bedrooms, a bathroom and kitchen; the upper flat also has a communal living room space. One flat is a split-level and all are fairly spacious.

The project has good access to Camden Market and the infamous Black Cap cabaret bar. Educational amenities nearby come in the form of City and Islington College. Finsbury Park is a stone’s throw away, as are Highbury Corner and Highbury Fields. The area is served by numerous buses into central London as well as Holloway Road tube.

Current clients at the Holloway project are either taking time and space to reflect on life, studying at the local college, or working as anything from a bricklayer to a wine merchant to a Council Officer!

Thom is the Supported Housing Officer at Holloway, and he says his clients “are generally really positive and enthusiastic and getting better lives for themselves. They show great strength and character in overcoming the barriers unfairly put before them. I like being a part of that and helping them along the way, whilst knowing that the vast majority of this positive journey is down to themselves. I get a bit proud of their achievements!”

Thom’s favourite part of the job is “the opportunity to see young people who have been so disempowered - often by their own families, those who they have relied on most - become assertive young adults and take the first steps to leading independent, happier lives”.

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