Today, Prince William joined an anniversary event in London to mark Homewards’ three-year milestone and share reflections on the progress made so far.
The anniversary event brought together local and national leaders, experts through experience, advocates and international homelessness delegates who shared and heard tangible examples of impactful projects from across the Homewards locations.
The programme, which was founded by Prince William in 2023, was formed on the simple but ambitious belief that together, we can demonstrate that it is possible to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated. Now over halfway through its five-year mission, Homewards is demonstrating that it is possible to prevent homelessness when partners work together locally. Through pilot projects, the programme is helping people move into and stay in stable homes and employment, while building systems that identify risk sooner and intervene before problems escalate.
The event featured panel discussions with business leaders from organisations such as Pret A Manger, Lloyds Banking Group, IKEA and Octopus Energy Group, exploring how homelessness prevention can be embedded into everyday business practices, making homelessness prevention, business as usual.
Following the panel discussion, contributions from initiatives like Invisible Cities highlighted the importance of lived experience and community-led approaches in driving change, as well as scaling the impact already made. With a key focus on expanding the frontline, attendees also had the opportunity to hear from young people involved in a programme supporting young people at risk of homelessness, by helping them prepare to live independently.
Prince William gave a speech acknowledging the tangible progress made across the six Homewards locations over the past three years, including thousands supported at an earlier point, 73 people now into stable housing and over 250 individuals in employment.
Prince William said: “It is clear that Homewards is changing lives and now imagine the scale we could achieve if our approach was adopted in every corner of the country.”
“Our progress so far has only been possible because of those in this room today. The people working every day in our locations. And the people with lived experience, whose insight continues to shape better solutions.”
“Homewards is already providing that preventing homelessness is possible. But there is much more to do.”
Over the next two years, Homewards, will focus on scaling solutions showing the greatest signs of potential, creating a model that can be applied across the UK and internationally. By getting more people into homes, into jobs and supporting them at the earliest point, we are showing how it’s possible to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated.
